Romantic Ambiance at Naya in Midtown East

I was recently sent a list with restaurants that I “haaaaad to go to” so obviously I researched them all and had them on my radar. While strolling through midtown east with my friend we passed Naya, which was on the list. I took that as a sign and made a reservation for the following day with my mom for my going away dinner. Any by going away I mean I’m moving approximately two subway stops from her.

The first thing I took note of at Naya was the ambiance, it’s a very narrow space but they did a great job of utilizing it. The booths are lined across the sides in a chic and modern way, definitely making the most of the space. I also got some romantic vibes with the dim lighting which was a tad strange for dinner with my mom but I rolled with it.

Starting with the Hummus at Naya

As a no brainer we started out with the hummus.  Spicy hummus to be exact because the both of us can handle the heat. The hummus had warm chickpeas on top and was accompanied by warm and fresh pita that we quickly ate up. Between dips we reviewed the menu.  It was hard making decisions but because it was mezze we could get a few more dishes than your average meal.

We ultimately decided on the Taboule salad, the eggplant duo and the moudardara. The salad was good but they could have gone a little lighter on the lemon dressing. The eggplant duo was probably my favorite dish of the three. There were two different eggplants that were stuffed with parsley, rice, onion, tomato chili pepper and walnut cooked in a tomato sauce. I know it sounds a little funky but it was one of the best mezze’s I think I’ve ever had. The final dish was the moudardara which was lentils, rice and fried onions. For all of you meat eaters, it kind of had the consistency of a beef stew-esque dish. I thought it was pretty good and the onions were a nice sprinkle on the top.

I think the final question always comes down to, would you go back? And my answer would be yes, I would definitely make a return trip to Naya. Except hopefully next time I’ll be accompanied by a hot date not just my mom!

Naya – Website
1057 Second Avenue, NY, NY