From the dawn of civilization, the indigenous people of the Middle East have created delectable meat and vegetable dishes using a unique style of cooking known as Saj. At first, food like lamb or beef was prepared on flat, round rocks that were heated by the sun and combined with fresh vegetables, rich spices, and flavorful marinades. But as time evolved, a metal dome heated from underneath was developed that came to be called Saj.
Following an extensive culinary tour of the Mediterranean region, our chefs have mastered this Old World style of cooking and are presenting it to you for the very first time. Because the dome is heated at the optimal temperature of 500 degrees, our USDA prime meat, fresh fish and seafood, organic vegetables, and secret sauces are cooked quickly to seal in the flavors โ and without any of the harmful properties associated with cooking directly over a flame grill.
We also have undertaken extensive research to develop the finest culinary dishes for your pleasure. Consider our grape leaves, which underwent 20 different recipes before we selected our final delectable offering. Or our falafel, which we spent countless hours developing, including more than 100 separate recipes. In fact, every dish on our menu is handmade โ even our ice cream. Along with our passion for sterling service and a rich, memorable dรฉcor that evokes Old World Lebanon, we hope you will agree with us that this will be your first of many visits to La Saj.
Mark Thomas
3 months agoAnother near-to-home choice. Since I was picking up dinner instead of lunch, I decided to forgo my go-to shawarma and dive deeper into the menu. The Chicken Ghallaba sounded good. Took about 20 minutes for my order to be ready. They were quite busy on a Thursday @ 6 p.m. In fact, by the time my order was ready, they had guests waiting for tables to empty. Seems a good sign. It is a very nice looking place, well decorated, projecting a relaxed, upscale vibe. (It does say "bistro", after all.) Feels less authentic, though. Could've been an Italian joint just as easily. Or Greek. After the stated 20 minutes I had my food in hand and a gnawing in my gut. Once I got home, I was delighted to see how much food my $20 + tax got me. Lentil soup, 5 pieces of bread and that oh-so-yummy garlic spread, and a vast amount of Ghallaba & rice. The soup was good, a little under seasoned. The bread was great & the garlic spread I would put on a brick. The Ghallaba & rice were very good and the quantity was such that it'll be the majority of dinner tomorrow, too.
val
4 months agoWe love La Saj it is our favourite go to Middle Eastern restaurant. Itโs always clean. The food is always delicious and the atmosphere is great. This tray combo was for two people it fed four of us. Our waitress Cara was AMAZING one of the best servers Iโve ever had, you donโt get that service anymore, thank you Cara!
Alec B
6 months agoTo sum it up simply; outstanding I wanted something with a bit of freshness for dinner and settled on La Saj as I generally like the style of food offered at these restaurants. There was a sign asking to be patient as they are short staffed, but it wasn't evident in my service that they were. My waitress was extremely pleasant and consistent on tending to my needs. So much so that they gave me a carafe of soda as I had been drinking mine down pretty quick! The food itself was above my expectations. The tabbouleh is generously dressed, which could be a turn off for some, but that's how I prefer it. The bread was also not uniform, but I appreciated the character, it shows that someone is really putting these together fresh. There even was one that was quite long that made for a great sandwich vessel with the platter ordered. The meats were cooked wonderfully. Steak was just above medium, chicken cooked but not dry. I'm very particular on my chicken to the point of distrust, and I had no worries with it here. All was seasoned well. The rice was cooked just right and fluffy, no gummy bites to be found. I should have asked for the tomato sauce on the side, it's fine but seems to be inoffensive on purpose. I still enjoyed it, just prefer it with more character. The vegetables were lightly roasted, could have been more, but glad they weren't then opposite end and overcooked as is common elsewhere. Overall, very satisfied with my experience. I would definitely come back, their sandwich prices are enticing at $12 for a sandwich, 2 sides, and more.
Shon Lang
9 months agoFirst time here. Great ambiance great friendly service. Got the cheese puffs kibbie meat platter hummus and lentil soup. Cheese puffs plain but good. Would be better with dipping sauce of some kind. Fried kibbie was really good Crunchy outside Meat platter was good could use more flavor and lemon wedges alongside. Hummus was okay I've had better from bakery. Would be better with some oil on top. Lentil soup was okay needed more Flavor was kind of plain and bland. I compare it to Leilas. The best lentil soup is at Ishtar. Dessert was baklava which was good. Overall everything was good and i would go again but Leilas is better in my opinion
thedandroid
10 months agoI kinda thought the food was just ok... Nothing special.. got the la saj plate for 2. The waiter was good and the atmosphere is nice for a date night kinda place which is nice since a lot of middle eastern places are more toward the takeout side of things. But honestly you can find a place with better food pretty easily. I'm not sure I'd go back