Restro review: Yalla Yalla, Radisson Hotel

Translating to ‘hurry up’, this Arabic-style street-food eatery is everything you expect of a bustling Middle Eastern gastronomic experience and gives you a taste of the land’s culinary heritage. Done up beautifully in an al fresco setting, with airy cabanas lining the pathway, the restaurant has a live kitchen where chefs go about pita wrapping and ‘mezze’ing things up for the hungry diner. We start off with the freshly baked pita bread (which is a tad crusty) which comes with a hearty line-up of dips. The hummus shares platter space with the eggplant-rich baba ganoush, spicy muhammara, lush garlic sauce and tangy tahini and gives the simple pita several delicious dimensions. The crisp falafel and kibbeh shamiya (a shell of cracked wheat stuffed with ground lamb, onion, nuts and seasoning) come hot off the oven and act as the perfect appetisers. When it comes to the kebabs, the shish tawook, marinated skewers of chicken tenders cooked on an open flame, is a good option, comes as it is, lush and light, while the joojeh qebob too satisfies amply. The lamb kebab is alright, but the meat is not as fresh and flavourful as we would’ve liked, and the grilled fish lacks texture and taste. However, the hummus-smeared shawarmacompensates beautifully, ringing in the lovely aromas for the senses to indulgein, and has just the right bite. The foodie journey is further enhanced by thetraditional shisha which comes in a variety of exotic flavours and will keepyour spirits soaring even as your tastebuds get grounded in the very tastyreality.