Hidden Mediterranean gem in Clifton

Hello: The Grape Leaf
| @thegrapeleaf |

A restaurant that’s been open on Frankfort Avenue since 1992 can’t normally be considered a ‘hole in the wall’, but The Grape Leaf pulls it off in the best way. Upon entrance it’s nothing special and surely isn’t hip or cool. What the long dining room has is a warm, inviting presence with tons of natural light and a busy view of Frankfort avenue.

We moved on from the views to the food which came out quickly after attentive service. The hummus was served with pita and was pretty standard, but something about it was better than the stuff you take home from the grocery. The pita was obviously fresh and perfectly warm, and the hummus had just the right amount of olive oil and paprika garnishing the top.

Their namesake grape leaves were even better, and we could have easily eaten 10 more. The menu is huge, oversized in our opinion, so choosing an entree was a task. We received great insight from a server and went with the biryani with lamb per his suggestion. The dish came as a large plate with veggies and saffron rice which were every bit as good as the meat. Some tzatziki and more pita on the side made it a complete success.

We won’t go on and on about what you must order at The Grape Leaf, but if you value any suggestion from experience you must get the Turkish coffee. Think pour-over from Safai meets Vietnamese coffee from Pho-ba-lou, minus the cream. The rich, strong, deep flavor is a culinary experience all by itself, and if they had a drive through with 8oz to-go cups we’d be there twice a week. It left the pot so quickly we didn’t even get a picture.

Our only complaint from the experience is not being able to have a nice glass of wine with the meal. No alcohol in site, and when we asked the server, he said they used to practice a BYOB model but have ceased that operation. If The Grape Leaf can ferment some of those grapes and dish out some wine to enjoy on their beautiful patio / garden in the summer, they’re a top spot for eats on Frankfort.

"I'm always on a search for that authentic piece of food, to make people happy." -Nabil Al-Saba (owner - head chef)