Pomella
| Cuisine | Mediterranean |
|---|---|
| Price | $$ (16-30) |
| Rating | 5/10 |
| Last Visit | Nov. 11, 2020 |
| Location | SFBA: Berkeley + Oakland |
General Notes
Pomella is a weird restaurant for me to rate. It's one of the most highly rated Middle Eastern restaurants that I've encountered, but I have mixed opinions. On the one hand, I love the flavor profile of each dish. It's not quite like anything that I've had before (I have very limited experience with Middle Eastern food); the spices and individual ingredients really stand out. On the other hand, everything that I had together felt unpleasantly drying and mealy. Perhaps this means Middle Eastern food just isn't for me, but I definitely felt that everything was a bit imbalanced. Nevertheless, take my review with a grain of salt; it was still pretty good and I'd recommend trying this place out.
Positives
> The flavor/spice profiles of each dish are amazing, and not quite like anything I've had in the past. Excellent combinations, if only they were bit more balanced out (see below)
Negatives
> They do have outdoor dining, but it really doesn't quite provide the same experience when they serve everything in takeout boxes.
> As I mentioned, the entire experience (aside from the lamb kefta itself) felt overwhelmingly drying and mealy. Perhaps this is something I dislike about Middle Eastern food in general? The Majadra rice was definitely more extreme than rice dishes I've had at other Middle Eastern restaurants, however.
> Almost every dish felt like it could benefit from a bit more acidity, particularly the sauces. A squeeze of lemon juice felt like it would brighten each dish so much. As a result, a lot of the flavors fell flat and felt imbalanced.
Dishes Tasted
- ★★★☆ Lamb Kefta Majadra Plate -- The kefta itself was absolutely delicious -- flavorful, tender, and the additions (not sure what exactly they were) provided a nice textural contrast and herbal freshness. The flavor profile of the majadra was amazing but the dish as a whole felt unbalanced. Everything was really drying and mealy. There really was no source of moisture anywhere in the dish other than the lamb itself.
- ★★☆☆ Falafel + Tahini Sauce -- The texture of the falafel was incredible -- beautifully crispy on the exterior and warm on the inside. The tahini sauce was a bit lackluster; the consistency was decent but it definitely needed a lot more acidity.
Lamb Kefta Majadra Plate
