Phoenecia

Came in for an unplanned dinner because so many people suggested Phoenecia. We didn’t have a reservation, and the place was packed! Thankfully, a table was just checking out as we arrived, so we were seated quickly. The table was just off the bar and had arm chairs, rather than regular wooden chairs. While they were very comfortable, they were too low for the table and thus a bit awkward… overall not a big deal though. The waitstaff were incredible, especially given how busy they were. All the staff were warm and welcoming and provided fast and friendly service. We ordered the Trio of Spreads to start; the baba ghanoush was particularly delicious. For entrees, I had the Jewel of the Ocean and my friend had the Lamb Shank. Both entrees were VERY good. My seafood was perfectly cooked, and my friend said his lamb shank was fork tender and delicious. We were both so excited to eat, I forgot to snap pictures before we dug in.

Food: The Lamb lollipops and the Saffron Chicken were full of so much taste and flavor. The sauce for the saffron chicken was especially to die for as it was light but still added so much flavor to the rice or pita bread when dipping into it. The Lamb lollipops just melted in your mouth and were super juicy, Atmosphere: Very lower Manhattan but also homey with an intimate and cozy environment. Staff: Super friendly staff and very accommodating and caring. They were constantly smiling even when running around and were full of so much love as everyone that walked in the door was treated like family.

Love this place. The food is fantastic. If you like seafood the Jewel of the Ocean is amazing. The lamb chops are one of my favorites, better than the shank. The green beans with the garlic tarragon cream sauce was amazing (we wanted to lick the plate). Highly recommend the top shelf Amari flight for dessert. Staff is always amazing, friendly, and so helpful.

I took my girlfriend here to celebrate new jobs, acting roles, and general life together; it was a perfect night! The atmosphere was lovely; I had asked when making reservations if we could have a secluded table near a corner, and they gave us a perfect corner nook with wonderful deep chairs. We ordered cocktails, the Phoenician and the Champagne Revolution; the Phoenician had Lebanese spiced rum, triple sec, lemon, and cinnamon (I think); the Champagne had pomegranate, prosecco, ginger and gin. We had tapas (tiger shrimp in a delicious sauce, and a trio of hummus, baba ghanoush and a Lebanese yogurt with black olives (I forget the name but it was delicious). Our entrees were the mushroom gnocchi and the saffron chicken linguini, and for dessert we split a raspberry almond chocolate torte. It was FABULOUS. The staff were charming and gracious and the owner came over to chat with us for a few minutes. In summary, we loved our experience there, and we will definitely be back.