Staying in downtown Philadelphia, there are many restaurant options. How could one narrow it down? Well, with us it’s easy, it has to be halal, if it isn’t then we eat seafood. Simple. So the first thing we resort to is Yelp, but let’s be honest that can get confusing, then ask the receptionist, you hear the usual, then what? You walk and explore! And that’s exactly what we did.
As we walked in downtown from the Hyatt Bellevue in Philadelphia, we came across a Middle Eastern restaurant, Sahara Grill.
We practically ran through the doors and seated ourselves, after confirming it was halal.
It was a cozy spot, a small restaurant, with an open kitchen in the back.
There were a couple of tables that were empty, which eventually filled up as the time passed. But overall, a clean comfortable casual place.
The menu had plenty of options, but we knew what we wanted, the Mixed Grill! When you can’t decide between the meats, it’s the best way to go.
Since it was a cold night, we opted for the spicy lentil soup as starters. Unfortunately, it was not spicy nor good. It was very bland and lacked salt as well. Even after squeezing a lime into it, the taste was just okay. I’ve had better lentil soup from Middle Eastern restaurants prior to this. Along with the soup, they gave a salad, which was very fresh and crisp, I loved the salad, it had a light dressing of olive oil. Very simple and clean.
The Entree came out right after we finished our soup, didn’t take long at all, and I was glad it didn’t because we were HUNGRY. Once we saw the rice portions, we felt it was on the small side, however the rice was tasty. Not your usual white rice or brown rice, and it was not dry. As for the meat portions, it was ample. The meat was grilled, juicy and done just right.
The plate consisted of chicken, lamb, and beef, with some side vegetables- which was also nice to have on the plate.
The food was clean, fresh, and perfectly done.
Once I was done eating, I felt full but not heavy, my hunger was satisfied. Overall, it was a good place, and I would definitely go again, and this time, I would try the hummus.
Looking to try the place?
1334 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Where are your favorite places to eat in Philadelphia? Tell us about them below.
