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| - As much as I love it, I was scared from Mediterranean food after a previously bad experience. My brother, though at another time and place, was in the same position as myself - mine regarding falafel, his over tabbouleh. But we braved it to Amena after a time to the Korean spa to regain both hope and nourishment. Amena threw out of my inhibitions - evident through the empty places and pleas for dessert that soon followed.
My brother and I ordered based off our usual technique: divide and conquer. This meant ordering both the vegetarian plate ($9.99) and the Combo plate ($13.99). Soon after ordering at the counter, our food was brought out, and the Mediterranean bloodbath shortly followed. The vegetarian plate soon became both of our favorites - with hummus, babaganoush, falafel, potatoes, a savory Greek yogurt, salad, and tabbouleh. The babaganoush was so fresh and undiluted in its eggplant essence. The falafel was fresh out of the fryer, and absolutely blew my mind in its simplicity - who knew chickpeas could taste so good? The yogurt was literally thrown on everything, and made everything that was delicious infinitely better.
The Combo plate included beef and chicken shawarma, more hummus, falafel, potatos and another salad. The meat was really good, but honestly, we were more enamored with the veggie plate as we're not big meat eaters (also, we're suckers for babaganoush). Regardless, we finished off two plates within ten minutes or so. But I didn't even mention the pita! Fluffy, freshly baked, and housemade? My brother and I devoured the pita just as fast as we devoured the plates of food in front of us - rip, rip, meat! Rip, rip, falafel! Though we were offered more, our waistlines could not handle the carb overload.
Then there was dessert. Initially, we had wanted to order fried dough stuffed with cheese topped with honey. But somethings are just not meant to be - evident through my inability to pronounce the dish and the fact they ran out of the dough. The proprietors then suggested the kanafeh with cheese (around $7 for a small) as an alternative. Neither of us had a clue what I just got ourselves into, but a few minutes later, I ate my way out of oblivion. Reading my brother's review, the kanafeh is comprised of phyllo dough so thin it resembles vermicelli noodles. Throw that onto of cheese and drizzle honey and pistachios on top - that's a kanafeh. Seeing as we devoured two combination plates and pita upon pita, we failed to finish the kanafeh (much to our waistline's dismay). But it was the perfect marriage of savory to sweet, crunchy to melty.
To be honest, the food was only have of the experience. The service was above and beyond graciousness. Within two minutes of entering the restaurant, both of us were offered free dolmades - the grape leaves tender and fresh with the lightest rice filling I've ever had. The owners were always so sweet - always asking the two of us if we were doing alright, how the food was, constantly offering more pita. Suggesting this dish or that dish, their upselling would normally be off-putting, but when the food is as delicious as Amena's or the people as nice as they were, I don't mind one bit.
For months, I had bookmarked Amena. It was only until every other establishment as an option fell through that I was finally able to cross it off. Luckily enough, the gods were in our favor that day. The hospitality and the sheer deliciousness make the summer, when I come back to Vegas, seem so far away now.
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