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| - I know this is blasphemous, but after my first visit to Yafo, I wasn't crazy about it. I went right at noon on a weekday and ordered one of their "pre-set," signature bowls because, quite frankly, I was freakin' overwhelmed by the entire experience. From the minute I parked, I was confused... I tried to enter from a side door (right beside where I parked) but couldn't get in. Cue the hunt for the magic door. Once inside, I was greeted with a monstrously long line and super confusing menu. I wanted to ask the employees what they recommended, how all this Mediterranean magic worked, etc. but felt rushed because of the 20+ people waiting in line behind me. So, anyways. I ordered the Yafo Shawarma Bowl. It was OK. Nothing amazing. Nothing awful. I had to wait with tray in hand for a couple minutes until a table opened up. Faced another line to get a drink from the serve yourself fountains. I left not entirely impressed.
I say all that to highlight what a pleasant surprise my 2nd visit today was! Wanting to avoid the crowd, I showed up at 11:30am. Scored a parking spot right out front of the magic door. Things already looking up! When I walked in, there were a couple patrons seated, eating already and only one person in line. Happy day! I wandered up to the counter and stood, staring at the menu for a few minutes. It was so un-crowded, I even had time to stop and watch them making fresh Pita bread to the right of where you start your order. When I was finally ready to order, I was able to ask all sorts of questions as I built my own bowl! What do you prefer -- the cous cous or the rice? Can I have hummus AND babaganoush? Are those pickled onions? (They're sumac onions, btw.) What spices are in the beef? (They gave me a sample to try!) What sauce should I get? Yep. I was THAT girl but I regret nothing! Now that I've been able to take the time to get to know the concept and all the options, I'm in love with Yafo! My bowl was SO good and SO filing. And, let's talk about that pita for a minute! Soft and warm, buttery and salty. So delish! My creation was pretty pricey at $16 with a fountain drink. Service was so friendly, I felt obligated to leave a tip, too which brought my lunch total to $20. Don't get me wrong, the flavor and freshness is worth it, but I won't be able to afford to make Yafo a regular lunch spot at that price point. And, that makes me a little sad.
I'm happy to have discovered the secret to Yafo -- get there early and make your own bowl, taking the time to ask questions your first visit or two -- and looking forward to many future visits when I'm in the mood to splurge a little!
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