We had a lovely, laid-back lunch Levant lunch by the sea this afternoon. This was my very first visit to Zaroob, the very kitsch Levant street-food outlet located on the scenic water front of Al Majaz, Sharjah.

 

I love the funky neon green and fuchsia pink logo. It translates across the branding of the restaurant, and incorporates the traditional mosaic art and the checkered print of the Arabic Keffiyeh (an Arab man’s head scarf).

It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon so we decided to take advantage of the stunning views and sit at the patio. On our table was a very kitsch bread bag with the Keffiyeh print. The Arabic embroidered on the front translates to “Where else will you find such good food at such a good price?!”

Browsing through the Zaroob menu, we found the prices really are very low given the stunning location and spunky ambiance. Mains start from as low as AED 11 and go up to AED 30.

I like the casual, clever concept of taking orders here. The staff hand over a pen, and you simply tick what you want to order, and the sheet is torn off and sent to the kitchen.

 

We started off with a plate of Hummus, and scooped up the creamy chick-pea dip with the complimentary bag of khubz (Arabic pita bread).

 

Next came the Steak & Mushrooms Man’oushe. This is a pita bread wrap stuffed with steak and mushrooms, and coated in a delicately spiced tomato-based gravy. The wrap also includes oozy melted cheese, and biting into it is like getting into a gourmet burger with an Arabesque touch.

 

I ordered for Zaroob’s Chakchouka, and was a little disappointed. To me, Chakchouka (or Shakshouka as it is more commonly spelt), is a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers and onions. What we got here was a pan of scrambled eggs.

 

We also tried Zaroob’s Beef Tenderloin Alayet. This is a stir-fry of beef served in a cutesy mini pan. The dish is more Eastern than Arabesque, and has quite a sharp tangy edge to it. Priced at AED 28, it is one of the more expensive items on the Zaroob menu, yet the quantity is not very large as compared to the other dishes.

 

We ended our Zaroob experience on a very sweet note with their Cinnamon Cream Fateer. This is a generously large platter of thin, layered Saj bread topped with thickened cream, honey and generous pinches of cinnamon. It is decadently sweet, yet not overpoweringly so. The cream makes it a heavy treat, and we struggled to finish it.

 

Overall, Zaroob lives up to its promise of good food at very affordable prices. Our entire meal was sufficient for Hubby, myself and our 5 year-old and cost us just under AED 150.

Zaroob has branches across Dubai, but if you happen to be in Sharjah, their branch on the Al Majaz waterfront will be a scenic treat.

For more details on Zaroob, and for booking a table, call 800927662.