Palm Tree Restaurant

Another restaurant that is less than 200 meters from where i live… its a Saudi Arabian cuisine.
.its a big place tables plus the traditional arab ways of eating sitting in a nice carpet and a huge plate eating together kinda thing… its not very busy when we came in… the owner happily talking with us…
the foods we ate wasnt even in the menu the chef cook something for us… we had soup i believed its a tomato base soup with lentils and it was so delicious. the chef cooked us two different kind of chicken dish one super spicy and the otherone is mild but they are both yummy…
.we tried an authentic saudian drink… a bottled arabic pine apple drink… was awesome. for our finale he made us some pudding kinda thing milk and banana which was very very good…
noise level is average no wifi, good for family, group and kids… decors are arabian inspired highlighting the KORAN as main attraction plus a sword that according to the owner is sacred .they have jersey and trophies in the wall that looks great to me… they have a family room maybe good for 10 – 20 heads. big TV screen asusual playing sports… very friendly atmosphere
they sell novelty items some grocery from their country and even some arabic clothings… they are still renovating as per owner… wash room is still the old old one. accept card and cash… oppppsss no wifi available but i gezz soon… good food as soon as they’ve done with the renovation ill come back and bring some arabic friends… ill try some of the great dishes in the menu… ill try on that arabic dress too hahahahhaha…

Ordered the mixed grill for 2 and large tabouli delivered. It took an hour (which is all fairness is how long they say it will take).
The mixed grill was delicious but did not contain enough meat. The Koftka and Kabab are the SAME THING, not a lot of food for nearly $ 30. The side and large salad were EXTREMELY tiny, less than the amount you get on a falafel plate at take out places.
I wont order from them again.

My friend and I went to this place 2 days ago. We ordered kebsa (lamb and chicken) and it was really terrible. The rice was under cocked and it didn’t have any flavor, and the meat chicken were rustic. We didn’t even complete our meal. In fact, at that moment we were thinking about going to another restaurant. For the next 2 days, my friend was having a nausea whenever he remembers this place.
As a person from the gulf area, this is the worst middle eastern food I ever tasted in my life.
Bottom line: please avoid this disgusting place.

We first tried to go to The Palm Tree Restaurant for lunch and arrived right when they open at 1:00pm. Unfortunately it was still closed and everyone was hungry so we had to go somewhere else.
Then we tried again a few days later for dinner and success! We got some tea, hummus, and a half size kebsa since we had already eaten a bit since we weren’t sure if they would be open. The tea was great and the kebsa was delicious. I hope to try the other meals on the menu sometime!
There is also a section in the restaurant selling many Arabic items and food.
This restaurant is probably best for a late lunch or dinner since they probably wont be open right at 1:00pm.

The salads and the lentil soup here are absolutely delicious. I would go back for those alone.
Unfortunately the main meals were not very good. They were rustic without being charming (don’t get me wrong. Some of the best food I’ve ever had are in tiny villages in third world countries for $ 0.10 cents) but the mains were not this. I haven’t had any Egyptian food to compare with, but from what I’ve heard, I’m fairly certain this is not how Egyptian food generally is. I could be wrong; but I hope, and believe, I’m not.
I’ll go back for the salads though. The Fava bean salad and the taboulah were dreamy.

Definitely delicious. Definitely authentic.
Do you want delicious and authentic food??? Gracious and respectful service?
Call this the ‘gulf state plus’ –café and you’ll get a better feel for the fusion of culture here and the basis of the menu. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, as well as Etrean, Ethiopian, and Egyptian cuisine. Imagine that combined with an Arab coffee house. Add in a Middle Eastern grocery store and you’ve got an very small idea of the potential of this place.
You will be well taken care of here but leave your ideas of fast food service at the door. You will be honoured with respectful service but there is no huge rush here. When you think of it, you will realise that freshly prepared food doesn’t come out in a flash; only food that’s been made in advance and then reheated or served is ready in a jiffy.
Order some nice Arabian coffee and a salad or appetizer to start. Such as the fava bean salad:
AMAZING.
Then my honey had the Bamya: a Kuwaiti dish of stewed okra and lamb, served with rice.
I had the Kabsa: a Saudi dish of grilled lamb shanks with spicy rice.
We shared more than a few mouthfuls of each others dish. The portions were very generous.
Prepare yourself for some truly amazingly seasoned food: tender, tasty and delightful. Savour the atmosphere of the place, and enjoy the shared comfort of this delightful community space. Relax and enjoy.

Not one to make an effort for I’m afraid… the hummus and tabbouleh were OK to start but after that it all came crashing down hill… the lamb was cremated the chicken was only just OK and the rest of it looked like it had just been thrown on the plate with not much care, love or attention.
I’m only a visitor to Vancouver for the weekend but if anyone is expecting to get an authentic Middle East culinary experience by going here then they’re in for a massively misguided perspective.

This is a tricky review as this place has some good things going for it, but is a diamond in the rough.
The good — The food! Wow oh wow! I admit I’m not a middle eastern food expert, but this place has made me want to be. They have some wonderful BBQ chicken dishes that are fall off the bone good! Throw in some scented rice and assorted bean salads, you’ve got some yummy stuff. One of the guys who works here (no idea if he’s the owner or not) is a really warm guy. The kind of person that when they speak and smile, you feel welcome and at ease right away. That’s a good thing because…
The «could be better» — Atmosphere? Errr, what’s that? Yeah it’s a little sparse inside. It really feels like a place that people hang out, not a restaurant. First time I walked in I wasn’t sure if this was a private venue and was I supposed to be in there. In fact I had to walk in and stand there confused at what to do, not sure how the establishment worked. It feels more like a meeting place for people of a shared faith and culture than a «business» trying to make money. As such, service is a work in progress depending who you get. Sometimes you need to chase people down a bit but it just feels like people finding their legs running a place.
If you’re going for the food *eagerly raises hand*, you won’t be disappointed. If you’re going for a complete dining experience, improvements could be made.