East Village
Get directions | 208 1st Ave., New York, NY 10009
Hours | Sunday 11:30am-11pm, Monday 11:30am-11pm, Tuesday 11:30am-11pm, Wednesday 11:30am-11pm, Thursday 11:30am-11pm, Friday 11:30am-11pm, Saturday 11:30am-11pm
Writing this review is a strange experience for me. It’s kind of like writing up my grandmother’s cooking. Actually, if that’s the case I should probably make this a 10.0…sorry grandma. I’m half Lebanese and grew up eating food like this at family gatherings, so I think it’s a pretty big compliment to Balade when I say this reminds me of what grandma has coming out of the kitchen on holidays. The only reason Balade doesn’t get a ridiculously high rating is because I don’t think most people have any idea what a lot of this food is. Obviously you’ve had hummus, or at least some bastardized Whole Foods version with edamame in it (more on that later), and chances are you’ve seen some stuffed grape leaves or spinach pies on a menu at a Greek restaurant. Whatever the case, if you don’t know much about Lebanese food, you should just know that if you like garlic, olive oil, lemon, and meat – you’re probably going to like what you eat at Balade.
There are are a handful of Lebanese restaurants in New York City, and many of them are very good. Some of the newer ones though, like Naya and ilili, are slick, modern, and high end. Balade is certainly no hole in the wall, but it’s relaxed and warm – much more our speed than those other spots. I don’t care what kind of food you’re serving, I don’t want to listen to a DJ spin while I eat. Ever. So Balade gets a leg up for being the right kind of atmosphere, but most importantly, everything coming out of the kitchen is seasoned correctly. Food like this gets screwed up when people hold back. Not here. Everything we ordered was fantastic, and had the right amount of lemon juice, olive oil, and key spices. The service is good, people are friendly, and you can eat your face off for about twenty bucks a person. Rookie or expert, that’s hard not to like.
212-529-6868
info@baladerestaurants.com
http://instagram.com/baladenyc
BALADE
Fresh, local; used when describing produce of high quality
BURGHUL
Cereal made from different wheat species, such a Durum Wheat
JEBNE
Cheese
LABAN
Homemade Lebanese Yoghurt
MANAKEESH
Lebanese pizza that comes with a variety of toppings; enjoyed anytime of the day
MEZZE
Refers to a selection of small tasty dishes served in the beginning of a large-scale meal
SALATA
Lebanese word for salad
SANDWEECHET
Lebanese word for sandwich
SUMAC
Tart and Tangy, deep burgundy colored spice harvested from a wild berry bush
TAHINI
Paste of lightly toasted ground sesame seeds
TARBOUSH
A red felt cap with a tassle that hangs from the crown that used to be part of the
traditional Middle Eastern dresswear.
TOUM
A Lebanese garlic aioli
KHIAR
A Lebanese word for cucumbers
ZAATAR
Spice mixture of dried wild thyme, sesame seeds and sumac; high in antioxidants
* Please refer to Legend above for definitions of any starred (*) items in menu.
v Please note, (v) refers to vegetarian dishes.
WEEKEND SPECIAL
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Mloukhie:
Mallow leaves cooked with chicken, cilantro, onion vinaigrette, topped with toasted
pita chips served with rice
25
SOUPS
Swiss chard, lentils with essenstial Lebanese spices and frech lemon juice
8
Homemade vegetable soup with tender pieces of chicken in aromatic broth
8
Hearty Lentil Soup (V):
Chicks & Veg:
SALADS
Taboule (v):
Authentic parsley salad with burghul* mixed with chopped onions, tomatoes, olive oil,
and fresh lemon juice
14
Fattoush (v):
Mixture of greens with cucumber, tomatoes, onions, mint, bell peppers, sumac* and
extra virgin olive oil, served with toasted pita chips
12
Artichoke (v):
Combination of Cucumber, tomatoes, Scallions, Olive Oil and Fresh Lemon Juice
14
Mixed green, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives served with pomegranate molasses
Halloume (v):
20
Chicken Meshwe:
Chargrilled marinated boneless chicken over a mixture of greens, black olives,
cucumbers, tomatoes and feta cheese. Served with choice of dressing.
19
Skinny Shawarma:
Mixture of greens tossed with sliced onions, tomatoes, black olives, cucumbers; topped
with shawarma meat or chicken. Served with choice of dressing.
20
Mediterranean
Tuna Salad:
Chargrilled marinated tuna over a mixture of greens, black olives, red onions,
tomatoes and cucumbers. Servied with choice of dressing.
20
Dressings:
Balade House Dressing – Balsamic Vinaigrette – Herb Vinaigrette
MEZZE
Small Plates – Great for Sharing
Delightful dip of chickpeas Purée, with tahini and lemon juice
Hummus (V):
9
Chickpeas Purée, with tahini, cumin, cucumbers, tomatoes and scallions
Hummus Beiruté (V):
10
Chickpeas Purée with lamb topped with pine nuts
Hummus lahme :
15
Chickpeas Purée served with kebbe krass garnished with nuts and pistachios
17
Hummus Kebbe:
Chargrilled eggplant Purée with tahini and fresh lemon juice
12
Baba Ghanouj (V):
Homemade-style grape leaves, stuffed with chickpeas, tomatoes, parsley and rice
13
Warak Einab (v):
Our signature dip of spicy fresh red peppers, walnuts and pomegranate
14
Mouhmara (v):
13
Shankleesh (v):
Our aged cheese perfectly blended with zaatar*, diced tomatoes, parsley and Onions
Homemade cream cheese, infused with zaatar* and crushed garlic
12
Labne Bi Toum* (v):
Fresh green beans sautéed in olive oil with onions, tomatoes and aromatic herbs
11
Loubiye Bzeit (v):
9
Made with chickpeas, onions, cumin and parsley. Served with tahini sauce
Falafel (v):
11
Stuffed with onions, sumac*, crushed peppers and olive oil
Balade Falafel (v):
12
A blend of fava beans, garlic, lemon juice, cumin and olive oil
Foul Medamas (v):
15
Grilled, sizzling cypriot cheese slices served with tomatoes and cucumber
Grilled Halloume
11
Phyllo rolls filled with mozzarella, feta cheese and oregano
Cheese (v):
Rkakat (v):
Sautéed potatos cubes with cilantro, garlic and red pepper flakes
9
Batata Harra (v/spicy) :
16
Sautéed shrimp with ginger, scallions and jalapenos
Shrimp:
14
Decadent pastry pockets filled with seasoned ground beef and toasted pine nuts
Sambousik:
Lebanon’s national dish; a mixture of lean beef and crack wheat, filled with a
mixture of ground beef, diced onions and pine nuts. Served with Laban*
15
Kebbe Kras:
17
Spiced beef sausages flambéed with fresh lemon juice
Makanek:
17
Soujouk:
Mildly spicy beef sausages sautéed with our fresh olive oil and tomaotes
12
Chargrilled chicken wings, marinated the Balade way
Jwaneh (wings):
15
Miniature squares of pastry filled with our traditional mouth-watering
Sfiha:
combination of meats
New York famous pies are taken back to their roots in triangular style:
stuffed with chopped spinach and feta cheese
14
Fatayir with Spinach
and Feta (v):
Create your own sampler by choosing four of the following: Hummus, taboule,
baba ghanouj, falafel, labne with toum*, shankleesh, loubiye bzeit or warak einab
28
Vegetarian Mazmeez:
98
Mezze Supreme:
Eight Favorites: Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, Labne, Mouhamara, Kebbe Krass, Sfiha,
Makanek and halloume cheese.
PLATTERS All lamb – beef are grass fed and poultry are natrual fed
Beef kafta, lamb kabab and chicken tawook. Served with hand cut fries and chargrilled
vegetables
38
Balade Mixed Grill:
60
Beef kafta, lamb kabab, chicken tawook and lamb chops. Served with chargrilled
vegetables covered with our famous house freshly baked bread (table service)
Supreme Mixed Grill:
Sirloin Bavette +22
Chargilled New Zealand baby lamb chops. Served with rice and grilled vegetables
38
Balade Lamb Chops:
Chargilled tenderpoin lamb. Served with rice and grilled vegetables
32
House of Lamb
Kabab:
Chargrilled lean beef mixed with chopped onions, parsley, herbs and spices. Served with
rice and grilled vegetables
26
Beef Kafta:
29
Beef Shawarma:
Shredded marinated beef, topped with tomatoes, onions and parsley, servied with rice,
pickles and tahini sauce
Our Balade hummus with beef shawarma, tomatoes, scallions, parsley, sumac*, and
onions. Served with pickles and tahini sauce
32
Hummus Shawarma:
27
Marinated chicken breast cubes with toum*. Served with rice and grilled vegetables
Shish Tawook:
27
Shredded marinated chicken with toum* served with pickles and hand cut fries
Sheikh El Shawarma:
28
Half chicken marinated with our authentic recipe, served with hand cut fries
Djej Al Fahem:
35
Grilled Chilean sea bass filet marinated with lemon, served with spicy warm tahini sauce
Samke Harra:
35
Jumbo shrimp infused with yogurt, olive oil, garlic, and lemon, mixed with toasted pita
Fatet Shrimp:
30
Grilled branzino bone-in marinated lemon, salt and served with tahini sauce
Samke Mechwiye:
22
Cooked lentils and rice, topped with caramelized onions. Served with a side salad
Moudardara (v):
SIDES
Lebanese Salata* (V): Chopped – Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Green Peppers
5
Lebanese rice with vermicelli
Balade* Rice (V):
5
Pickled Vegetables (V): Fresh from the Market
5
French fries sprinkled with zaatar* herbs
Balade Fries (V):
6
Batata Mekleyee (V): French Fries
5
Laban* Bi Khiar*:
Lebanese yoghurt infused with cucumbers, garlic and mint
5
Bread Basket:
Lebanese bread baked fresh from our oven
4
MANAKEESH
Lebanese Pizza – Fresh Balade* Dough. Fresh From Our Oven.
9
Mixture of wild dried thyme, sesame seeds, sumac* and olive oil
Beirut Beats /
Zaatar* (v):
9
Mixture of wild dried thyme, fresh tomatoes, onions and olive oil
Wild Zaatar (V):
11
Banadoura Harra (V): Diced tomatoes, onions and spicy flake pepper
13
Combination of white cheeses. Served with sliced tomatoes
Jebne*:
13
Combination of white cheeses and beef sausages
Sausage & Cheese:
Balade’s secret recipe of seasoned ground-lean beef, mixed with finely diced onions
and tomatoes
13
Lahme Baajin:
13
Ground-lean beef mixed with chopped onions, parsley and lebanese spices
Kafta:
10
Assortment of three mini manakeesh* (Jebne*,Lahme Baajin, Zaatar*)
Taste of Lebanon:
Popped in the oven flat and removed when crispy
PITA PITZA
Thinly sliced, marinated beef, roasted with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, a drizzle of
tahini and touch of zaatar*
17
Sultan El Shawarma:
Thinly sliced marinated boneless chicken, topped with toum*, honey, dijon, sliced
tomatoes, onions and pickles
15
Tarboush* Chicken:
13
Greek Pitza (v):
Feta Cheese, cucumbers,tomatoes, green peppers, saatar* and olives
Delicious crispy falafel with tahini sauce, finished to perfection with chopped
parsley, tomatoes and yellow pepper rings
13
Malak El Falafel (v):
12
Hummus topped with seasoned ground meat, onoins and tomatoes
Hummus Pitza:
SANDWEECHET
All sandwiches are lightly toasted. Choice of white or wheat pita bread.
Not available Friday, Saturday and Sunday night
Pieces of marinated chargrilled chicken with toum*, french fries, pickles and mixed
greens
12
Shish Tawook:
12
Shredded marinated chicken with toum*, french fries, pickles and mixed greens
Chicken Shawarma:
Shredded marinated beef with tomatoes, pickles, onions, parsley, sumac*, and tahini
sauce
12
Meat Shawarma:
Chargrilled ground beef mixed with hummus, diced onions, parsley,
sumac*, pickles and spices
12
14
Chargrilled beef sausages with pickles, tomaotes and french fries
Kafta:
Makanek:
Pieces of chargrilled marinated lamb with grilled vegetables, hummus and pickles
14
Shish Kebab:
Chargrilled tuna with tomaotes, onions, sumac*, and tahini sauce
14
Tuna Filet:
Grilled cypriot white cheese with tomatoes and cucmbers
14
Halloume Cheese:
Grilled falafel with tomatoes, onions, parsley, pickles, turnips and tahini sauce
9.5
Falafel (v):
Two lebanese favorites
9
Hummus & Taboule (v):
DESSERT
Fillo pastries with nuts
7
Baklava:
Baked in the oven topped with cheese, bread crumbs, pistachios and homemade syrup
8
Kenafa:
Milk pudding topped with ground pistachios and homemade syrup
8
Mouhallabie:
Homemade daugh baked with nutella topped with sliced bananas and pistachios
8
Chocoba:
Homemade ice cream (Ask for Flavors)
8
Lebanese Ice Cream:
Homemade white pudding with honey, pistachio and fresh fruits
10
Ashta:
Non-alcoholic
BEVERAGES
3 / 6
Soda (Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite)
Spring water Saratoga – Flat or Sparkling (12 oz / 28 oz)
2.5
Orange Juice
6
Balade* Jallab:
Rose water:
Freshly-Squeezed Homemade Lemonade
Healthy date juice with pine nuts
Concentrated rose juice
Original ice tea (Sweetened / Unsweetened)
Healthy, salty yoghurt drink
6
5
5
3.5
5
Laban* Ayran:
HOT DRINKS
Pot of Lebanese Co ee (S/L)
3 / 6
Espresso (Regular / Decaf)
Freshly-brewed coffee (Regular / Decaf)
Hot tea (Herbal or regular; ask for selection)
Pot of Lebanese tea with fresh mint
White coffee (Digestive) all natural with oragne blossom water
3
3
3
7
3
