Review of Sitti, Raleigh

            Sitti is the Lebanese word for grandmother.  While, the food at Sitti is nothing like what my grandmother has ever made, it is still very, very good.  Upon entering, what impressed and confused me was the long table dividing the center of the restaurant.  After asking the waitress to clarify, she explained that it is a communal table.  People are welcome to sit there and eat their dinner, however most of the people are strangers to each other.  It follows the Lebanese custom of strangers always being welcome to dine.  It seems like a fun concept as 4-5 groups of strangers were interacting at the twenty-person table, but we chose to have our own table, this time.

            Our waitress explained to us that typically, a Lebanese dinner is made up of many different Mezze dishes.  Each of these are akin to tapas at a Spanish restaurant or an appetizer.  She recommended 2-3 mezze per person, so we ordered 6. 

            We started with the Goat Cheese & Orange Salad.  Mixed greens are topped with orange slices, goat cheese, walnuts, and dates.  The salad is topped with fresh lemon vinaigrette that just pops in your mouth with citrus flavor that was sweet instead of tart.  The salad was rather good; we love goat cheese.  Also, this was the first time we had tried dates; I loved them, Megan did not. 

            Our second dish was the Cheese Rolls.  These were spectacular.  Gruyere, feta cheese, spices, and mint are put in a thinly rolled shell and fried until crispy.  These are similar to mozzarella sticks, just better.  The melted cheese oozes out of the crispy shell with each bite.  We loved these and wish we ordered more of them. 

            Dish three was the Kibbeh Nayyeh.  This is steak tartare, Lebanese style, mixed with wheat and spices, and topped with olive oil.  I loved this one; Megan was apprehensive about the raw beef.  First off, the tartare was huge; I mean bigger than a half-pound burger.  It was very finely chopped beef that was flavored impeccably.  It literally melts in your mouth.  I found it very satisfying both physically and mentally, since I was hoping for adventure in my first Lebanese experience. 

            Our fourth Mezze was the sun-dried tomato oven mezze.  This was similar to a pizza, but with a pesto sauce, fresh mozzarella, manchego cheese, and a balsamic drizzle over it.  We asked for it to be light on the tomatoes since neither of us are tomato fans.  This was very tasty.  The cheese combination over the pesto was a welcome surprise and you just can’t beat balsamic vinegar.  In fact, we liked this dish so much, that we have tried to replicate it twice at home.  (Key tip: try to find at least 7 year old balsamic to replicate this.)

            Our next course was the Chicken Kabob Mezze.  From almost any table, you can see the window into the kitchen.  Through that window is the grill.  You see chicken, beef, lamb, etc. on skewers being grilled.  It is the first smell that hits you upon entering and it feels so welcoming.  Our chicken was marinated in garlic, lemon juice, and yogurt, and then grilled just enough to give the edges a charring.  The three skewers of chicken were slightly tart and juicy.  They were served with grilled tomatoes and onions and a garlic whip.  The garlic whip was something else new for us.  I loved it when the chicken was dipped in it, however whipped garlic can’t stand on its own. 

            Our sixth and last Mezze was the Beef Shawarma.  Slices of marinated beef were served with mini pita rounds and a tahini sauce.  The beef was grilled expertly and we loved the fresh-baked, individual mini pitas.  They were so fresh in fact, that steam came out of them when you pull them open.  The tahini sauce is made of a ground sesame seed paste.  Typically it can be thick, but when diluted with garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice, it makes for a fantastic dipping sauce that can be used on meats, sandwiches, etc.

            Sitti was definitely a culinary experience for us, and we enjoyed every minute.  Each Mezze was unique and delicious.  Our waitress was very attentive and was knowledgeable about the menu.  In fact, we took all of her recommendations.  The atmosphere was welcoming and yet, almost seductive.  This is easily our favorite of the Empire Eats restaurants.  I can guarantee that we will be back and this time, we’ll be bringing my mother-in-law.  I bet that she’ll love it too. 

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price