Hard to believe that Cafe Barada, the quaint Lebanese eatery just north of Porter Square, has been serving up traditional Middle Eastern fare for over 40 years. Then again, comfort and quality will do that.
The family-run biz began in Arlington back in 1984 but moved to Cambridge during the early aughts after the current owners, the Salameh family, took over the business.
The menu covers the Lebanese essentials — kibby, kafta, falafil (many dishes are listed with the Lebanese variant) and shish kebabs as well as the requisite lentil soup, grape leaves and yogurt cucumber salad. All solid and satiating, but it’s the rich, golden hoummos and tangy labany (whipped yogurt cheese) that are the stars. The labany is creamy, dense, smooth and cool. The hoummos is whipped to almost silky perfection and flavorfully accented with lemon and a generous drizzle of olive oil. It’s an addictive pleasure slathered on the pita bread wedges it comes with.
You can get the hoummos as a stand-alone starter or as part of the mezze appetizer plate that also includes baba bhannouj, tabbouleh and mujederra (lentils, rice and onions).
Notable entrees are the kafta — seasoned ground beef rolled into sausage-shaped logs and grilled — is pleasantly juicy with a subtle, spicy pucker and just the right grill charring to give it texture without drying it out. Then there’s the lubia — a lamb, green bean and tomato stew, served with rice pilaf —a must-try when it makes an appearance on the specials list. The rich tomato both is thin and tangy, with a hearty Worcestershire-like flavor to it. The lamb was well-braised, tender and lean. The beans were also tender, not over blanched, and maintained their flavor. As you get down to the bottom of your plate, the pilaf becomes the necessary agent to gather the last orts and soak up the remaining trough of spicy tomato jus — it’s a pleasing, belly warming close-out.
Barada does an adroit job of balancing dietary options on its menu, with meat and vegetarian versions of the kibby (layered leavened cracked wheat, similar in concept to lasagna or spanakopita) and the grape leaves. The specials slate always has a vegetarian offering to offset the meat entree du jour.
Inside is cozy, with dueling clock faces on the wall that tell the time in Boston and Beirut. As we get into more alfresco-friendly nights, there’s an ample outdoor patio space well set back from Mass. Ave.
Cafe Barada is open for lunch and dinner (same menu) and has a full bar that leans Lebanese, including Lebanese white wines. A recent drink special was a super refreshing Arabic sangria —effervescent, and fruity without being cloying or sweet. If you’ve got room for something more and crave something sweet, there’s always baklava and a hearty rice pudding.
For all this goodness, Barada is still affordable. Most of the entrees are in the low $20s or less — my lubia was under $23. It’s a go-to choice for managing the needs of a mixed group of meat and non-meat eaters. Come in for the hoummos, stay for the specials and take heart that traditional comfort is always on the menu.
Have a favorite dish or dine out spot that we’ve not covered and think we should? Email Tom at tmeek@cambridgeday.com.
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