I had been looking forward to trying Aleppo's Kitchen after seeing it on TikTok, so we made a trip from LA to OC just for this. First off, great parking--plenty of space, which is always a plus. The decor is really nice, with a lot of beautiful dallahs, ibriks and Arabic books. I also noticed the independent Syrian flag in the middle of the restaurant, which was a nice touch.We went around noon, so it was pretty busy. They seemed a bit understaffed, so service was slower, but it didn't take away from the experience too much.- Falafel Bowl (half mixed greens, half bulgur, tzatziki, house sauce, tomato, cucumber, feta) - Fresh, but nothing special. The falafel was crunchy and hot, but not particularly exciting. The tzatziki was pretty standard, but the house sauce was great. Overall, a solid Mediterranean bowl, but not something I'd go out of my way for.- Potato & Za'atar Flatbread - I love man'oush, so I was excited for this. Unfortunately, the za'atar flavor was too weak making potato the dominant flavor. It felt like it was adjusted for a general audience rather than capturing the bold za'atar-forward taste I was expecting.- Mama Suher's Yalanji - Really good. Very bright, zesty, and rich in olive oil. My partner tried it for the first time and loved it. If you enjoy stuffed grape leaves, this is a solid choice.- Cheese Rolls with Akkawi - Super warm and crispy on the outside, with chewy, slightly salty cheese inside. I'm not the biggest fan of akkawi, but these were really well done and apparently, the cheese is imported from Syria. Definitely worth ordering if you like akkawi.- Mediterranean Trio Dip (Muhammara, Hummus, Mutabbal) - Comes with two pieces of pita. The hummus was pretty basic, nothing standout. But the mutabbal was really fresh, and the muhammara was excellent. If you're a fan of dips, I'd get this just for the muhammara and mutabbal.- Desserts: Ashta & Knafeh - I always order knafeh at Middle Eastern restaurants, so I was excited. It took a while since they make it fresh, which I appreciate. But when it arrived, it was really hot and dry, like they forgot to add rose syrup. A bit disappointing. As for the ashta, it wasn't as milky or creamy as I expected. I think they should offer different variations of knafeh (cheese vs. ashta).Aleppo's Kitchen is a great introduction to Syrian food but still leans toward general Mediterranean flavors, making it more accessible to people unfamiliar with Middle Eastern cuisine. If you're looking for bold Syrian flavors, you might not find them here, but it's still a solid spot. I'd bring friends who want to try Middle Eastern food for the first time, but I wouldn't drive all the way here again specifically for it.
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"Great Vietnamese food in Newport! It's a nice little spot in the popular area of Newport Beach. There isn't much seating but it's the perfect grab n go. The service was good and quick. The food was even better. Grilled Turmeric Chicken Vermicelli Noodle was a 10/10! The chicken was seasoned and perfectly cooked. The noodles were great. It was filling and the sauce was perfect. The shrimp spring rolls 10/10. They taste like authentic spring rolls. The peanut sauce was untraditional, but still good peanut sauce."
"I have been to Urban Plates a few times before but not this location until recently. We had a wonderful experience here and were really impressed with the service provided by Eric. He really put in the effort to describe the food options and helped us pick which dish was best for what we were craving. He also made an effort to check on us throughout our meal.I have always enjoyed Urban Plates because the food is tasty and fresh. I recently purchased their Plate Pass which gives you 20% off every order and I have to say, it is well worth it. I think most of their dishes are reasonably priced but the discount makes them a steal! Anything with the steak is excellent and one of my favorites is the Chimichurri Steak. Yum!"
