A heavily embroidered garment lays flat against one wall, illuminated by a spotlight. It’s a detail customers might overlook in this Sunnyvale restaurant decorated in cozy mustard and burnt orange hues.
In fact, the traditional Arab garment is deeply symbolic to Dishdash owner Emad Ibrahim, who named his business after it due to its cultural connotations of warmth, comfort, and relaxation.
Yet after witnessing the frantic pace the staff must maintain while attending to overflowing crowds at the popular Sunnyvale spot, it’s easy to assume that the name actually signifies the act of madly sprinting around with plates of food. Indeed, since it first opened in 2001, Dishdash has been so overwhelmed with customers that they leased the adjacent restaurant space, vacated by Off The Hookah in 2006, just to keep pace. Since then, they’ve simply escorted overflow diners back out of Dishdash’s entrance and into the one next door.
On a recent visit, we were surprised to find a large, conspicuous plywood structure jutting from a wall, apparently hiding unfinished construction behind it. We would learn that Ibrahim finally took the plunge and opened up an archway between his original storefront and the new expansion to double his capacity for both lunch and dinner seating — and boy, he needs it. Between the crowds pressing against the host station waiting for a table, the roaring volume, and the visibly hustling wait staff, the ambiance borders on frenzied. Amazingly though, to our waiter’s credit, our service was friendly, efficient and professional.
Our baba ghanouj ($5.95) arrived quickly. This chilled, creamy appetizer is a showcase for smoked eggplant. Rendered into a paste and combined with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and cumin, the flavor blooms into a spicy and sweet dip that assures a cleaned plate. It came garnished with kalamata olives, pickled turnip strips and cherry tomato slices for both sweet and tart accents.
We also sampled falafel ($4.95). Perhaps the most familiar Middle Eastern appetizer, these round, deep-fried fritters were made from a coarse batter of crushed garbanzo beans, parsley and onions. Served hot and dry to the touch, they were just right — crunchy on the outside and doughy inside. Their subtle spiciness married nicely with the accompanying tahini dipping sauce, which revealed a hint of sumac.
The massive Greek salad ($9.95) was served in a big, deep-set bowl brimming with lettuce, cucumber chunks, halved cherry tomatoes, red onion slices, crumbled feta, pitted Greek olives and a triangle of deep-fried pita bread. Coated with a cool and sharp dressing, it is ample either as a main course or to split between two diners as a starter.
I ordered mansaf ($15.95), my favorite Dishdash entree. Traditionally served at Jordanian weddings and births, this dish buries hunks of tender lamb beneath a mound of rice that rises from a pool of aged yoghurt broth. Garnished with sprinkles of roasted almond slices, mansaf is both simple and satisfying.
Visually akin to mansaf but notably sweeter in flavor, beriani ($14.95) features rice dotted with garbanzo beans and raisins covering beef cooked in yoghurt and highlighted with cinnamon.
The lamb in the mansaf was so succulent that we couldn’t resist ordering zahra ($15.95) on our next visit. A baked lamb shank falling off of the bone was served swimming in a yoghurt sauce accented with onion, sauteed garlic and a trace of sumac. It was accompanied by smoky grilled cauliflower and a mound of rice topped with slivered almonds. Finely diced parsley was sprinkled over the plate to dress up this feast for lamb fans.
Faced with such tempting lamb dishes, it’s easy to miss the restaurant’s seafood selection. We tried shakshuka ($15.95), and weren’t disappointed. A circle of five jumbo prawns rested in a mild red curry sauce made of eggplant, onion, peppers, tomato and dry lime. Accompanied by only a scoop of rice, the shrimp and thick, rich sauce were uncomplicated and filling.
We were warned that cho-kolata ($6.95) would take 15 minutes to prepare, and our waiter wasn’t exaggerating. Served alongside a scoop of creamy Ciao Bella Gelato vanilla ice cream and strawberry slices, the small, disc-shaped cake offered a slight crunch outside, and warm brownie dough filling with occasional nut pieces. Vanilla ice cream was the centerpiece for the ultra-sweet and self-explanatory baklava crumble ($6.95), in which warm, crumbled baklava melted the ice cream into a velvety masterpiece.
Despite the constant commotion, we had a wonderful experience at Dishdash. The beer and wine list is extensive. Servings are enormous. Best of all, Dishdash offers food that is subtly spiced — never hot, but consistently engaging.
Dishdash
190 South Murphy St., Sunnyvale
(408) 774-1889
www.dishdash.net
Hours:
Lunch: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Dinner: 5 to 9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
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