- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Al-Rayan
Categories: Restaurants Middle Eastern Restaurants Vegetarian Restaurants African Middle Eastern, Vegetarian, African [Edit]
288 N Cleveland StMemphis, TN 38104
(901) 272-0227
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
6 reviews for Al-Rayan
6 reviews in English
-
Review from Kerry C.
3/24/2010
On one of the walls above the counter at Al Rayan, there's a green, cardboard side of a box that's been sort of wedged into place. It's got some Arabic text on it, a few white buildings, and in English, the words "A blessed chicken, thru'n'thru."
I'm not entirely sure what was in the original box, but the text could have been about my lunch order.
I ordered the #1 under "Other Plates" on the menu. It's a big plate of seasoned long-grain rice served with tender, grilled chicken and vegetables. The chicken wasn't super spicy, but it had a little kick to it. It wasn't anything my glass of water (served cold, but without ice) couldn't handle. It came with a salad and basket of warm pita bread.
Al Rayan is located on Cleveland, in a section of Midtown that's generally considered "Crosstown". Despite living down the street from the restaurant for almost a year, I had never been inside. It's a fairly small place, but it's colorful and inviting. At the table next to mine, a group of people were laughing having a super animated conversation that was half in English about someone mailing a package. They had a huge communal plate of food in the center of their table that seemed to have a little bit of everything on it.
The staff is friendly, and they seemed to know a lot of the people that came in to the restaurant to pick up take out orders by name. Al Rayan's menu has a lot of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean staples, like falafel, shawarma and kabobs. They've got a few special plates, some sandwiches and daily meat specials. The food is Hallal, and most of the things on the menu are less than $10. -
Review from Lester G.
Memphis, TN
2/11/2011
I was not expecting very much when I arrived at the Al-Rayan. That being said, the food was just okay and the service was pretty much non-existent. The server was nice enough but we did not see her much.
The place was sparse, to say the least and empty when we arrived but that was not a huge deal, as long as everything else was okay. It wasn't.
First, the tables should be wiped down and not littered with things like hair, staples (?) and just dirty all over. That is not a good start.
My wife had a bowl of soup and it was hot and tasty. She followed that up with a lamb Shwarma. It was overcooked and seemed as if it was cooked earlier in the day and then reheated.
I had the Al-Rayan Combo which was actually now bad looking. It was a full plate and presented as well as I would expect. The food on the plate, however was overcooked and dry. The chicken was the best tasting meat on the dish. Again like it was reheated. I have no doubt it was tasty when it was first made and that would have been all they needed to do. Considering how long it took to get he food out, there was time to cook it from scratch.
Overall, the food was fair and the service was a bit less than expected. I am not sure if I would come back. -
Review from Blake P.
Memphis, TN
3/10/2010 2 photos
Saturday, when the sky was grey, the air was biting and the icy streets were treacherous, we drove along a woeful section of Cleveland just north of Poplar to get to Al-Rayan.
And there we found the remedy to all the unpleasantness listed above. It's called selta -- or salta, depending on which menu you're reading. The robust stew, which Al-Rayan owner Hindi Nahwi makes with lamb and potatoes, is a traditional dish of Yemen, and arrives bubbling in a black clay pot. Combine it with a cup of the hot Arabic sweet tea, steeped in cardamom and cloves, and you've set a standard for winter comfort food.
Or, if you're not a meat-eater, have the lentil soup, which arrives in a clay pot as the selta does, and looks like a mini-pool of bubbling lava. Nahwi blends vermicelli noodles with the lentil broth; you add the hot sauce. Two versions are offered, a red and a green chile. The green chile is perfectly balanced with garlic, tomato and parsley.
Then move on to some classic Middle Eastern and East African dishes. Nahwi's roots are in Yemen and Ethiopia, but she grew up in Saudi Arabia. She works with her two friends -- one from Iraq and one from Mexico -- and the three women clearly know their way around the stove, the kitchen and the market.
We ordered the Al-Rayan plate, which included a dense, spicy kufta, or sausage; shish kabob, marinated roasted lamb served off the skewer; and falafel, crisp golden chickpea croquettes; along with rice seasoned with black peppercorns and stewed vegetables.
The dining room is simple, with walls of painted cement block, and over the Arabic TV in the background, we heard pots banging, oil sizzling and the blender churning. It took a while for the hot plates to come out; in the meantime, we had the rice-stuffed grape leaves, which were, as our menu promised, "shiny in olive oil." And the salad of chopped vegetables -- lettuce, radish, cucumber and tomato peppered with oregano. And hummus and tahini, served with fresh-tasting and puffy hot pita.
We saw the selta go by, sizzling dramatically, while we were waiting for our main dishes. When we asked what it was, Nahwi sent us a sample. A striking presence in a brilliant silk head scarf, her eyes defined with kohl, Nawhi goes back and forth between the stove and the tables, checking with diners to see how they liked their food.
At lunch on a weekday, we tried the buffet, which is set up in chafing trays on the counter -- rice; a pleasing vegetable dish with stewed green pepper, celery, okra and onion; tandoori-style chicken; and a simple but tasty oven-baked fish -- which Nahwi identified as cod -- served whole. Also, there was spaghetti. Yes, spaghetti.
The pita sandwiches -- shawarma, shish kabob, falafel -- are served with tahini and hummus, lettuce and tomato. They're a genuine bargain at $4.
Jennifer Biggs - Print review = 2 out of 4 stars -
Review from Lindsey S.
San Francisco, CA
1/27/2007
Great little Lebanese restaurant with fabulous hummus, falafel, and tabouleh. The stuffed grape leaves are great. They also have the traditional shaved meat entrees if you are in meat mood. It's not as cheap as it was when it was called Boogie's Bistro but still affordable for a broke college kid. It's a bit of a hole in the wall but else should you expect from Cleveland Avenue. Great place to people watch!
-
Review from Imran Q.
1/25/2010
The service is great, but it's a true Mom and Pop place so it's not always consistent. But The food is awesome. Try the shawarma beef or anything lamb. The chicken is hit or miss. The first five times I went I loved it but once the chicken was a bit under spiced. If you like Turkish coffee (like espresso with spices) then they have some you should try. The hummus is mediocre. And the Arabic tv can get annoying when all they show is soccer. One of my fav places in Memphis.
Listed in: Halal Across the Country
-
Review from Rick D.
Memphis, TN
1/15/2009
Excellent food. Modest setting for a meal, but great service. Try the "Al Rayan," a sampler of much good stuff. Grape leaves excellent.
