(From December 2009) It’s a lovely room, with a long rectangular pool of floating candles. A complimentary plate of mint and basil, green onions, radishes, cubes of feta, and warm pita bread will tide you over until the entrées arrive. We chose the ghormeh sabzi, a “green” stew of chunks of tenderloin enveloped in a lovely broth with spinach, parsley, cilantro, and shallots; it’s best spooned over saffron basmati rice. For the adventurous, there are ghel-yan pipes with sweetened tobacco for a postprandial smoke.

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(From May 2009) When we’ve just got to have a Middle Eastern fix, we amble into this small cafe/store to partake of emerald green tabouleh glazed with lemon juice, crispy falafel (we defy anyone to come up with a better version), rather sweetish dolmas, and warm puffy pita bread stuffed with shawarma and topped with wonderfully tart tzatziki. For dessert, grab a bit of baklava on the way out.

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(From August 2008) Replete with Moroccan lanterns, tiles, and the requisite belly dancer, Saffron is nonetheless family-friendly and provides a good entry to North African cuisine. Our party gave enthusiastic thumbs-up to starters: beef ragoût rolled in phyllo and served in a honey-tomato confit and tender sweetbreads with fava beans and ginger. Thumbs stayed aloft for a simple, luscious dish of braised chicken over Moroccan bread in a saffron broth. Thumbs down, though, for dry bastilla and chewy lamb shank. Bar.

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(From November 2008) Browsing this cafe’s international market will stimulate your appetite for the enticing Mediterranean fare served here. We munched on stuffed grape leaves, hummus, and baba ganouj before moving on to gyros of tender beef nestled in warm flatbread and drizzled with tzatziki. Creative pizzas and nicely seasoned falafel, plus baklava and other nutty desserts, round out the menu. BYOB.

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(From November 2009) This intimate spot, reminiscent of a southern European establishment, offers a variety of dishes. The Middle East sampler is our favorite and comes with stuffed grape leaves, feta, lebneh, falafel, baba ganouj, tzatziki, olives, and pita. Crossing several borders, we opted for the Thai sesame chicken served with vegetables and fettuccine tossed with a spicy peanut-sesame sauce, then lingered, chatting away and sipping cappuccino. Beer & wine.

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(From November 2009) This gem, behind the Havana Riverwalk Inn, serves mostly Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food. A splendid “fish kebab” featured broiled cubes of salmon adroitly flavored with saffron and lemon, while a beef pot roast with tomato sauce, more nearly a stew, had vigorous, deep flavors. Among the apps, we liked the tangy tabouleh salad and mirza ghasemi, a cold Persian eggplant and tomato combo. Informal yet digni-fied, Cool Café has vast river-view windows. Bar.

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(From September 2009) We marvel each visit how well the romantic yet unpretentious atmosphere pairs with the captivating Iranian food. Appetizers include shrimp with a lemony saffron sauce and kashk-e bademjan, a savory eggplant spread. Among the entrées, the bandari—beef sirloin in a spicy pomegranate sauce—puts the familiar in an unfamiliar context, as does the shrimp with walnuts and cranberries. The service could not be more punctilious. Bar.

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(From December 2009) Fortunately, new ownership has left what matters intact: inexpensive dishes served in an informal but welcoming setting. The tastes of the Mediterranean predominate, and lamb and eggplant appear almost everywhere on the menu, the former as shanks and marinated kebabs, the latter as side dishes, a vegetarian entrée (“baby” eggplant with mixed vegetables), and many appetizers. And what appetizers they are; perhaps the best idea is to order the meze platter of baba ganouj, lebni (yogurt with dill, walnuts, and garlic), hummus, and several others. Liquor license pending.

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