Saha

Saha Restaurant Review:

Located in the renovated Hotel Carlton, Saha features ebony wood floors, red leather chairs and contemporary pendant lamps that bathe the room in a soft glow. Saha is an Arabic toast meaning good health, and chef-owner Mohamed Aboghanem's menu lives up to that toast with an eclectic array of dishes blending spices from his homeland, Yemen, with the flavors of fresh, local ingredients. Exotic small plates include aromatic tiger prawns in mint, rosewater and cilantro sauce while robust entrées like the New York steak with zatar sauce served with mashed potatoes are good choices for less adventurous diners. There is a large selection of vegetarian options, including acorn squash stuffed with a sweet, spicy red curry of tofu, mushrooms, spinach and couscous. The most successful dishes are the classics such as kibbeh, a mixture of ground beef, onions, wheat bulghur and spices that packs some serious heat. The less triumphant shiitalkin ravioli, which marries the conflicting flavors of earthy shiitake mushrooms with cloyingly sweet mango sauce, is proof that opposites don't always attract. While not all of the dishes work, Aboghanem's bold use of spices and dichotomous ingredients still produces some of the more unique and creative tastes in town. Consider, too, the stuffed avocado salad, lahem sougar, and sage duck.