Located on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, Yemen Cafe this years celebrates its 30th anniversary. I encourage those who have not been to visit this very special restaurant and join in on the celebration. Yemen Cafe will delight you with their large portions of authentic Yemeni cuisine, warm hospitality amid colorful surroundings.

My two appetizers; on the left is Fasoolia, (white kidney beans sauteed with onions tomatoes, minced scallions, and seasoned with fresh garlic and cumin.)  Interesting taste, though felt a little on the dry side. On the right is Baba Ghanouch, (pureed roasted eggplant, sesame paste and olive oil.) This was outstanding. All appetizers are served with a "Khaz" the warm bread cooked in a clay oven. The bread is delicious and nearly 15 " wide.

The signature dish at Cafe Yemen is Lamb Haneeth. On the menu it is promoted as "World Famous," and believe me it is worthy of its self-praise. The lamb is seasoned and slow cooked for five hours and when the big shank arrives on the plate the lamb is so tender that it is literally falling off the bone. It is served on a bed of long grain basmati rice and topped with vegetables. 

One of the true hallmarks of Cafe Yemen is the hospitality and so that little extra to make the customer happy. When I sat down to eat I was greeted by my waiter with a bowl of "Mareg" (Lamb soup - with lemon on side) a nice gesture. Yemen Cafe is looked over by the day to day managers Momad (on the left) and Abdul (on the far right) They are the respective sons of the two original two owners. In the middle is Sayed, my waiter today.

Saltah, this is the national dish of Yemen. It is a root vegetable stew served in a bubbling hot clay bowl with tangy fenegreek and lamb sauce. A distinct flavorful taste recommend.

Yemen Cafe has a decor that presents at least a dozen photographs of Yemen capturing the glories of its breathtaking northern mountainous landscape, UNESCO villages such as Jilba, and the one-of-a-kind architecture of the buildings in Sana's "Old Town." They also have a a large video screen which plays continually the most beautiful and interesting visuals of the country.

Arabic (Yemen) language lesson - "Hello"  (Marhaba)  "Thank you"  (Shukran)  "Delicious"  (Lazeez)

Interesting fact about Yemen - The Yemeni are proud of their elaborate weddings where people feast for 21 days.

Address - 176 Atlantic Avenue  (Brooklyn)  (&18) 834 - 9533