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Nuba Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Middle Eastern Restaurants Mediterranean Middle Eastern, Mediterranean [Edit]
207 W Hastings StVancouver, BC V6B 1H7
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 688-1655
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 4:30 pm
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
193 reviews for Nuba Restaurant
Review Highlights
"The Lamb was great and Najib's Special is always great."
(in 24 reviews)
"Our favorite is their crispy cauliflower."
(in 29 reviews)
"La Feast is $28 and could easily feed three people."
(in 14 reviews)
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193 reviews in English
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Review from Jasmine O.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 1/18/2012 ROTD 1/31/2012
My wife and I celebrated our 43-months-since-we-met--iversary here on Friday and I was soooo excited because it was her first Nuba experience and a few weeks into her becoming a vegetarian!!! It was a great date.
The mezzas impressed her although she was afraid of the foreign look of the plates (she usually just orders the chicken to be "safe") and she loved all of the flavor combinations. She could barely finish the falafels which were heartier than any she's ever had... "Those are real falafels" I told her and she agreed that the taste felt authentic and we rolled out happy and full. She had such a surprised look when I told her everything we ordered had been vegan. Wow. It was a treat. We'll be going back regularly, hopefully as a special date night spot, and I'm sure I can get her to venture even further into the deliciousnes of fresh ingredients used at this amazing restaurant.Listed in: Greatest Hits, date night late night
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/15/2010
So we finally dined at Nuba last night.
It was our anniversary so I decided to reserve a table just… Read more »
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Review from Nancy W.
Port Coquitlam, BC
2/12/2012
Before Nancy and I started blogging, we already talked about which restaurants we like to go to. We have learned about each other's taste and luckily it's very compatible. What we do not discuss much is the setting of the restaurant. For example, I do not enjoy fine dining where the plate is gigantic and the single scallop is the center piece. I seek authenticity, unpretentious, generous portion meals. I do not particular enjoy Northwest Cuisine in a restaurant setting because I've had too many at mediocre restaurants. If I see another grilled salmon on a bed of asparagus with mash potatoes, I'm going to _ _ _ _.
I'm glad I live in Vancouver. As a foodie, you get to sample cuisines from different authenticities. For a long time, I've been dying to visit Nuba. I've had no expectations or experience in Lebanese Cuisine, so my deepest apology in the description of the dishes. I will try my best with descriptions given by my palate.
May I first point out that Nuba is situated in a gorgeous building. You are led down the stairway into a beautiful, and romantic space. The seating is not crowded at all. There is also an effort to display a Middle Eastern vibe to help strengthen the dining experience.
Lamb Hushwie: Sautéed lamb with onions, pine nuts, and spices, served over hummus and avocado: First of all, you can't go wrong with pine nuts and lamb. The earthy taste of pine nuts just adds a punch with lamb. Lamb is soft, along with the acidic hummus served on top of the protein.
Spiced Tiger Prawns: Sautéed prawns, warm spiced eggplant, tomato & onions with a spicy oil: This dish is a great introduction to any main course. Crunchy tiger prawns sitting on a bed of spicy eggplant. The mild spiciness encourages you to anticipate the main course.
Duck magret ful medames: Fraser Valley pan seared cardamom-spiced duck breast with fava bean stew, roasted peppers, crispy duck skin, Brussel sprouts: The lean duck breast assisted by the bean stew were packed with flavours. The duck meat wasn't chewy at all. The brussel sprouts and stew added a great bite along with the duck breast.
Beverage: We had a cocktail by the name of breaded lady: Don't let this cute drink fool you. It's pretty darn strong. Bulleit Bourbon, bitters, raw sugar cube, sparkling wine, and citrus zest.
This was a great way to introduce myself to Lebanese cuisine. I can't wait till the next time I come and try other items in their menu., Overall, I've had such a wonderful experience at Nuba. I hope everyone can step out of their comfort zone and try something different. -
Review from Tai V.
Vancouver, BC
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Just went the other night, was pretty good.
I had najib's special (fried Cauliflower) The taste was really nice but there was a lot of oil in the bottom of my shallow bowl when I hot to the bottom so I wont be having that again unless I asked for it patted down :D
I wanted to have a salad but dont like mixed greens at all so asked if they had a substitute and the server said no we have no other lettuce...Then my bf got his Tabuleh salad (he said to write it was very minty and it overpowered the flavour of the dish) and there were 2 big beautiful pieces of romaine for his garnish...
I asked the server if there was a way they could put romaine in my salad instead and she said no the kitchen refuses to do that... The romaine is only a garnish. Nothing else.
ok ok I get it, but really I wanted a light meal thats why I came, I don't understand why everyone is using mixed greens now?! They are a little bitter and kind of remind me of when I used to eat dandelions.
So I had the veggie falafel, it was decent.
BF had the Short Ribs and he was very pleased and said that the dish is not something that could be made at home.
All in all we were pretty satisfied... -
Review from Aaron S.
1/23/2012
Having never tried Lebanese food I have nothing to compare it too. I have been told from those in the know (and by in the know i mean Lebanese) that it's not a true representation. Ill take their word for it but I still enjoyed what i ate just the same. It was a kind of meal where if you like Greek or Middle Eastern food it was a balance of both styles and flavorful at that. We split La grand feast which was a meal for two and possibly three. A bottle of wine shared between friends and a recommended bourbon drink were nice additions to the evening. One of the party had the fresh fruit juice which was a nice touch.
All in all I liked what I saw and would return especially with a group. -
Review from George M.
Vancouver, BC
2/7/2012
Love it.
Great selection of healthy dishes all made with fresh ingredients. Very trendy atmosphere and good wine selection. -
Review from Kat S.
1/4/2012
Wonderful food and service. I have really enjoyed the experience both times that I have been here.
The first visit was as a UYE, so I couldn't review, but I finally got the opportunity to go back when some friends were visiting from out of town. We were lucky enough to get squeezed in, because other attempts at coming here without reservations were thwarted by the long lines. This time, however, the found us a space. For 4, no less.
The share plates are really the way to go. Everything is well flavoured and plentiful. I left so full. Yes, my pocket was a little lighter, but the food value is very fair for what you get. They don't seem to have to option to choose which meats you want on the grand feast anymore, but the selection was good. The only thing I wasn't that excited about was the chicken. It was a tad on the dry side.
Our server was attentive and friendly, and all around very good. Our food loving friends from the North really enjoyed the meal, too. Tip: Get the halumi cheese. Chewy good fun.Listed in: Treat Yourself
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Review from Judy H.
Vancouver, BC
1/29/2012
Good food, great company, fantastic evening.
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Review from Robin M.
12/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ridiculous.
Totally lives up to the hype. Totally always going to be drinking cucumber water at home. I'm talking All. the time, people. It's luxurious in the best of cheap ways.
Fresh, healthy, and soso good, the food made by the good folks at Nuba has yet to let me down. Quick bites, long lunches, extended dinners -- what can't they do? Vegan friends, meatatarian friends, liquid-loving friends, me -- we're all happy here.
Najib's Special is bomb. What the hell are they doing to the cauliflower to make it that freaking amazing?? For real though, how is it this good?
Friendly staff, great food, killer atmosphere -- Nuba is an entirely safe bet for just about any meal.Listed in: Vegetarian Eats Vancouver
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Review from Nicole B.
Vancouver, BC
12/15/2011
This place is less than one block from my new home and I'm a little worried I may soon be going up a size as I am in LOVE.
I always make a reso when I come here, even if it's the same day. They almost always accommodate and it saves me a wait and with the popularity of this hidden gem, I would highly recommend it.
The bf & I always order the Grand Fest as it's a great date option with lots of variation, more than enough food for 2, and only $48. If you don't want to go that route, you absolutely MUST try the Najib's Special and the Lamp Chops (mmmmmm *drool*). -
Review from Teresita C.
11/15/2011
The dictionary defines addiction as "being enslaved to a practice or habit" and the crispy cauliflower with spices instantly turned me into an addicted, beady-eyed, Gollum.
Since becoming vegan I've eschewed many of my favorite foods but eating at Nuba with meat eaters and semi-vegetarians was a simple, sublime pleasure brimming with tahini, baba ghanouj and lip-smacking vegan stew.
Everyone had something wonderfully fragrant and delectable to eat, and aside from my covetous behavior over the cauliflower, the meat eater happily chomped on almost everything from the vegan feast for two after polishing off his perfectly cooked lamb kebabs.
Give me a full week in Vancouver please, so I can return to Nuba nightly, drink in the cucumber water and inhale platter after platter of those enslaving dusky flower-buds. -
Review from Alex V.
North Vancouver, BC
11/6/2011
So I can see this restaurant is not short of good reviews, but it doesn't hurt to add another!
The night started off a little iffy seeing as they were so busy they mixed up not only our reservations, but another party's. But they quickly remedied that with giving us our first round of drinks on the house - I definitely recommend their organic red sangria! Me and my sister shared La feast, and even with both of us being big eaters, and me being the most carnivorous of carnivores, it managed to stuff us! Our favourites were najib's special (notably the hot sauce which had some kick to it!) and the baba ghanooj. Definitely a place that fosters long, relaxed meals with good friends.. -
Review from Cynthia G.
Toronto, ON
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been here now four times now and the place is great. I just love it, from the very interesting drinks, to the vegan food and very knowleadgeable services and bar staff. In the 1980's there was a small middle eastern place on Broadway (before it became a popluar cusine) that NUBA reminds me of that place........
I called earlier in the week from Toronto to make reservations and left a message on their voice mail. Didn't think I would get a call back, since they would have to call long distance and to my suprise, they did call back and confirm the reservation.
We had reservations for 7:30 and my friend Keith and I got there a little early so we sat at the bar. had wonderful converstaions with the bartender as she was very knowleadgeable about beer, wine and drinks and provided information that was very helpful.
When our other dinner guest Ashley arrived we were escorted to our table. We all were very hungey and placed our order; We were all going to share and ordered which consistaed of le feist which is a sampling of many popular items on the menu such as homus, vegan stew, cheese, olives, tabouli and a side of baba ganoush and crispy cauliflower, as well as Sea Scallops and Chicken Tawook Skewers.
The middle eastern flavours are just wonderful. Love the delicate pickled cabbage and all the little dips and sauces.
The decor is very low key and minimalistic, but kind of trendy. They do have a section at the back that has low tables and lounge chairs. Do remember if they had music, but the accoustics are great and you don't hear conversations from the next table.
Wish they had a location in Toronto !Listed in: 30-Day Yelp Challenge, Nov…, VANCOUVER HITS
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Review from Joanne M.
Vancouver, BC
12/5/2011
Wickedly good place! Just tucked underground, its easy to miss this restaurant. Try the Najib's special and hummous! If you are big group there is a nice private lounge to share tapa's and some drinks. Drink's are a bit on the pricey side compared to the food prices and servers are a bit spacey, but all in all a solid place to relax with some friends.
Will definitely come back. -
Review from Buster B.
Vancouver, BC
11/21/2011
Okay, okay. Nuba is trendy and offers pretty good food and beyond average cocktails. That's right. It's pretty good. It's not great and the portions fall on the small side. Najib's special, a lemony fried cauliflower, is the only outstanding dish I've had.
Last night, the wait time was crazy (40 minutes between appetizers and entrees), and although the waiter was very apologetic and mumbled something about the lamb being over-cooked and needing to start again, that's still 40 minutes of wait! An apology is great, but nothing says sorry like free appetizers. (A note: the place was only half full, so it's not like there was a dinner rush.)
I ordered "le grand feast" for two and when it finally arrived, I was shocked - SHOCKED - at the meagre amount of food. Yes, it was tastefully displayed, but four skewers, a handful of shrimp, and three bowls of sides does not a feast make, much less a grand feast. For $50. My god!
When the bill came, I was resentful and still hungry, but could not risk ordering another dish for fear of waiting another 40 minutes. I'll return to Nuba for lunch, specifically for the Najib's special and a cocktail, but I value my time and money, so I'll stay away for dinner. -
Review from Amy C.
Vancouver, BC
10/31/2011
This Nuba is my fav of the Vancouver options - mostly because a friend and I had such a spectacular waitress the first time around. She did everything from bring us samples of white wine (which made it harder, if anything, to narrow it down) and helped us with our order flavours and portions. We were first-timers, and she told us not to worry about ordering too much, that she would adjust the size/price accordingly, and recommended that we get a bunch of mezze plates to share.
She delivered - the portions were perfect (we ordered 5 small plates between us) and the food tasted great. I bet everyone that's had the cauliflower includes that in their comments, it's such a tasty vegetarian dish!! I have definitely lost a few moments daydreaming about that bad boy since.
The vibe was good. Big crowd (it was Friday night) but still good service. The decor is pretty no-frills, but I don't care about things like plastic cups when I'm getting cucumber water served to me inside them.
I'd go back again, (especially given their array of vegetarian options) especially if I was with people I knew had similar tastes to me and I wanted to impress! Bring on that cauliflower!!! Nom nom nom. -
Review from Siri W.
9/17/2011
I had heard a lot about this restaurant, and so, as someone who used to live in the Middle East, naturally I was intrigued. I have missed the food so much and find it so difficult to find truly authentic Middle Eastern food in this city. So I had high hopes for Nuba, and they were not disappointed!
I met a friend and decided to go for the tapas idea, although they do have some mains as well. We went for the Baba Ganoush (I've missed it so since coming back to Canada - and no, that stuff they sell in plastic tins at the grocery store and Costco is NOT Baba Ganoush, I don't care what you say.
The Baba Ganoush here (I just like saying Baba Ganoush, can you tell?) was incredible! So smooth, and rich and just as flavourful as I remembered it. The flatbread also seemed to be unlimited, which was a good thing as these were some hefty portions and I personally like to take a "no man left behind" approach to my meals.
We then had the crispy cauliflower, which was just amazing. The flavour was so unique and tangy - lots of lemon. Who knew cauliflower could be so delicious? We also had the lamb (with avocado), which was my friend's choice - not my favourite since I'm not a huge lamb enthusiast, but she enjoyed it very much and I would chalk it up to me rather than the lamb!
Lastly...we had to split the white chocolate and almond souffle. It was calling to us. The menu said to allow fifteen minutes to prepare and oohhh man was it worth it. It came with a chocolate sauce (I'm not gonna lie, I totally lapped it up with a spoon afterwards. I have no shame) and the souffle itself - so perfect. It was fluffy, light, flavourful and still piping hot from the oven. Colour me satisfied. Even if souffle isn't what you would call an authentic Middle Eastern dessert - God knows I'm not complaining!
This place was sooo delish. Takes me back to my old life as an expat. Go and enjoy it, you won't be sorry!Listed in: Post Five With Friends
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Review from Dee d.
Burnaby, BC
11/14/2011
The menu is simple and straight forward. Our water was cucumber flavoured -if you haven't tried this out, you should - it's a great way to help drink more water every day.
Anyway, back to the menu - it's best to share dishes and since there were four of us - we ordered several dishes.
Our first dish was the Chicken Tawook ($9). They were chicken skewers marinated with "middle eastern spices" and served atop slices of avocado and hummus. The chicken was tender and a hint of the seasoning.
Up next was the Garden Falafel ($7.50). I'm a big fan of falafel mostly because it's one of the few ways I enjoy chickpeas and beans (other than hummus). I'm so accustomed to the not so fabulous fast-food fare - so this was very tasty - it was a decently portioned falafel too. It was also served alongside avocado slices, hummus and pickled cabbage.
We ordered Najib's Special ($7) as everyone was telling me to try this dish. To be honest, I am not a big fan of cauliflower. BUT this was amazing. Some of it was slightly burnt, but the rest was crispy and bursting with delicious tartness from the lemon and saltiness from it's sea salt. Much better tasting when dipped in the Tahini (ie, sesame) sauce. Probably my favourite dish of the evening.
We also ordered Le petit feast ($15) that includes hummus, taboulleh, baba ghanooj and homemade pickled cabbage. The presentation was very nice and the taste of the baba ghanooj was amazing. The taboulleh was very poignant, I found the taste to be very sharp compared to other places I've had taboulleh and I liked it. Since there was so much hummus going around - I did enjoy it too, but I felt it could be a little more tart.
Finally, we ordered Lamb kibosh spinach ($8). These were mini patties with vegetables, pine nuts, burghul and spices. I'm not a fan of lamb so I passed on this, but my best friend said it was great in taste, not too gamey and not too dry.
[continued on http://gastrofork.ca] -
Review from matt m.
West Vancouver, BC
9/25/2011
Really dissapointed after all the rave reviews...
The tiger prawns were overcooked and chewy, the short ribs were terrible, tough, and the waiters were running around confused about which table to bring the food out to.
Our group of 5 had food meant for other tables delivered at least 3 times during our 90 minute dining experience... when our own dishes came out (after the waiter tried to drop it off at another table, sigh), I was less than impressed.
This place is always packed, but I'm real confused as to why. -
Review from Vincci L.
Been back recently and it just wasn't as good. The Halloumi cheese and tomato seemed different, the seared scallops not as flavourful, and the biggest disappointment was the crispy cauliflower. They didn't even bother cutting up the cauliflower which resulted in just 4 large chunks of cauliflower, defeating the whole purpose of 'crispy.'
My entree, the fish of the day was good. Grilled, and then served in a tahini based sauce, this was more outstanding than the other dishes we had that night.4 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/8/2010
Mmmmm.....mezze....
Between the 2 of us, we ordered a whole lot of mezzes to share. Probably too much… Read more »
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Review from stephanie l.
1/19/2012
if im in vancouver for 3 nights, 2 of them i eat at nuba!...excellent...
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Review from Melissa E.
Vancouver, BC
10/3/2011
Been meaning to come here for ages and a friends birthday offered the perfect opportunity. We were a large-ish crowd so didn't have access to the full menu...rather when we arrived there was a large and exhaustive drink list followed by a teeny tiny little food menu. I like your thinking Nuba.
To kick it off i had the hat trick...a yummy gin and ginger drink that I had convinced my cold-germy self wasn't really drinking because it was infused with so much yummy germ-killing ginger. 5 stars.
We were then offered a plate of hummus and baba ghanoush that was pretty good (i don't know, i just can't get that excited over it) with what was the low point of the evening...the pita bread. Good god that was some lame pita. Very Safeway-brand like, cold. Yucca.
The meal itself was pretty awesome. We were served a HUGE platter of food including the crack-like cauliflower which i would steal a small child for, lentils, salad, olives, feta, rice, eggplant it went on and on. Everythign was amazing. The "main" was not really a main though...it was either one skewer of 3 shrimp, chicken, a few thin slices of halloumi or the big ball of shredded dry lamb which i unfortunately opted for. STAY AWAY FROM THE BIG BALL OF LAMB!!! Terrible. This is why people don't like lamb. I felt bad that an animal was slaughtered for that.
BUT it was all saved by the dessert...oh lord. It was apparently a tiramisu but it kinda wasn't. It was yummy puffy light very-espresso-y cafe pieces surrounded by endless yummy whipped cream. If i could live somewhere for the rest of my life it would be in that dessert. Really simple, but unbelievably delicious.Listed in: Yelp's 30 day Challenge
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Review from Tiffani L.
Richmond, BC
We ordered "la feast", "crispy cauliflower", and "frozen yogurt".
First, we have the "la feast" part one, we were thinking that is already the whole XD. but i think we shouldnt order the crispy cauliflower while we have la feast! Because it already has the cauliflower in the la feast! The best is the dessert "frozen yogurt" , its like the sore ice cream with berries topping. So tasty XD -
Review from Susan M.
Vancouver, BC
1/24/2012
Cozy place. Attentive service. And tasty food. Unfortunately they didn't have the wine listed on their menu and then recommended we try something else (more expensive) but otherwise, very nice. Enjoyed the light jazz music in the background. Place was busy (on a Sunday night) but we still managed to score a table without a reservation.
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Review from J P.
9/22/2011
The location of Nuba was easy to overlook as it is in the downstairs corner of a building. We were looking at ground level and just couldn't see it. Dur!
Two of us went for dinner and shared hot & cold "mezze" dishes...basically, appetizer plates, as well as a large fattoush salad (delish!), beer for DH, and wine for me (I wish I could remember the name of it...a white wine...started with the letter "v", recommended by waitress and very good).
Our appetizers included a vegan stew; we're not vegan or vegetarian and I don't know what my carnivorous DH was thinking when he ordered it, but it was great, so flavorful; we both liked it a lot. Also had tabbouleh; and shish tawook (grilled chicken skewers) on a bed of the creamiest hummus ever. We initially were set to order more, but our waitress talked us down and she was right. We had just the right amount of food. We did all but lick our plates clean and felt satisfied, and not overly-full. So we had room for dessert.
DH had the vegan sorbet (again with the vegan!), and he LOVED it. It was dark chocolate with some sort of citrus sauce. And I had the special dessert they were featuring...a white chocolate and almond souffle. It had a mousse-like sauce to drizzle over the warm souffle, along with what looked like finely ground almonds with some grains of black sea salt. The combo of salt & chocolate was perf.
We'd go back in an instant if not for miles between us and that pesky US border. -
Review from Lisa K.
Vancouver, BC
10/7/2011
Overall this was a really great restaurant experience. The restaurant is in the basement which helps contribute to the wonderful atmosphere.
I've never tried Lebanese food before but my boyfriend and I were feeling like eating something we hadn't tried before. We started with Turkish coffee which was delicious. It's strong but tastes sweet like chocolate with almost spicy afternotes.
We ordered the "la fiest" which is from part of their menu that includes picks from their appetizer menu meant for two to share. We didn't know what many of the dishes were but they all tasted delicious. Although the whole platter is vegetarian it's still filling.
The music was awesome and the service was good too. I would consider making a reservation because it was very busy at dinner time even for a Sunday night. -
Review from Eva B.
7/14/2011
I brought a friend here last night for dinner. For a Tuesday night I was surprised how busy they were. So I would suggest making a reservation if you want to give it a try.
For some reason I remember the service being much faster, the portions being larger and the food being so much better. Then again I haven't been here since they opened so I guess I should expect things to change. However, I was hoping for the better.
I must admit though, the cocktails were pretty good. -
Review from Kate W.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 7/14/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Have been coming back for well over a year. As a matter of fact when I landed back in YVR and my hubby collected me if was the first thing I wanted (not that tacos in Mexico weren't delicious) but I crave the food here like a junkie needs a fix.
Brought a large group here for my bday last Sept and they were amazing. Everyone that came for the first time that night has since been back on their own. Had got very busy, even during the week, call ahead :)
Le feast rules!!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/19/2010
The room is gorgeous and intimate, service was great, food was delicious! The two of us shared the… Read more »
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Review from Goos Y.
8/13/2011
Was here for a tradeshow last week. One of my co-worker was a vegan and found this place. There was a steady stream of people which was a great sign that the food would be good. I never had lebanese food before and wasn't sure if I would like it. I had the seasonal fish which was the lincod. It was one amazing. Very flavorful with a spicy kick. My co-workers also enjoyed their duck breast and Vegan stew.
The staff was great and the drinks all seem to have a canadian twist to them. First time I had a bloody mary with beet juice. I will definitely be back the next time i'm in town. -
Review from Ramon V.
10/6/2011
I used to love Nuba when it was a tiny cafe across the street on Hastings. Since then the new bigger, bolder location has been a favourite of many. But not me. I find that many of the dishes are overpriced and all seem to contain a surplus of hummus. Is this the refried beans of the middle east? Most dishes seem pretty ordinary but there are a few standouts. TheNajib's special is fried cauliflower squeezed with lemon and is definitely a memorable treat that you'll be wanting everytime.
Listed in: Yelp's 30-day Challenge
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Review from Thor T.
8/25/2011
The always busy restaurant is located in a basement but the surroundings are comfortable. The food is mostly very good - among the tasty mezze we tried garden falafel (dense) and chicken tawook, grilled correctly and very nicely seasoned. A stand out was the sauteed lamb hushwie with pine nuts and spices.
Main plates included a beautifully roasted Cornish hen on a bed of utterly delicious potatoes and tiger prawns that could have bee a tad less cooked. The only dish that was a misfire was the market fish - in our case a ling cod - covered by a heavy, undistinguished sauce that filled up after a few bites of the fresh fish.
The restaurant was out of the dessert we wanted most (Lebne ice cream) so we made do with a good version of baklava.
The service, while nice and solicitous, was rather inattentive and we had to actively get the attention of the servers several times. -
Review from Megan M.
Vancouver, BC
6/13/2011
Popped in for lunch with a friend visiting from LA who had never tried Lebanese food before. We got there early, around 11, which was good because it was packed by noon with everyone from the corporate crowd to hippie art students.
Started off with the falafel ($6) served with hummus, pita, avocado, and green hot sauce. The falafel was some of the best I've had-really flavourful and moist. The hot sauce, with it's happy vibrant green color, didn't look too menacing but packed a fierce punch. It was like having 2 appetizers in one, since I was able to load up the pita with hummus and smashed avocado after the falafel had been polished off.
I ordered the Najib's special pita ($7.75) while my friend ordered the same as a plate for $10.75. The najib's special is a pile of roasted cauliflower that has just started to caramelize and loaded with spices. I'm no vegetarian, but it's delicious-I get cravings for it! The pita is massive, loaded with hummus, tabbouleh, hot sauce, and vegetables-while the plate has the same but also includes rice/potatoes and pita. The plate seemed to be a lot for lunch, so if you're not looking for a huge meal I would order the pita instead. What I love about Nuba is that everything tastes so fresh and is flavourful without being too heavy or oily-I'll definitely keep coming back again and again! -
Review from Yena M.
Maple Ridge, BC
6/28/2011
Had a lunch. I loved the atmosphere and food. Right taste and Right portion size.
Only thing was the smell. The place smelled like unsanitized public washroom. You can smell it as you enter the restaurant. But, by the time our food arrived, our nose got used to the smell, and we were able to enjoy the food. -
Review from Marc P.
7/7/2011
We went here for dinner based on the Yelp reviews.
We thought the Mjadra was amazingly good.
Excepting that, we were a bit disappointed in the food given the prices and how popular the place is. The babaganoush was not as good as most that I have had; but at least there was plenty of it. The other items we dined on tasted fine (not great, but good), but were in very small quantities for the amount paid.
They recommended a Lebanese wine at $12 a glass; I was quite disappointed in this as well.
I'd go back for the mjadra, but that's about it. -
Review from Luisa D.
4/7/2011
After so many months of wanting to go here I have now been twice in two weeks; once for lunch, once for dinner. Both times I've had the same server who was very professional. At lunch when she found out we were wine people she brought over a glass of her fave new Pinot for us to try. I thought that was very cool.
At lunch we had a bottle of the Telmo Rodriguez Basa and I ordered their Beef Wrap special for $10. So meaty, flavourful, filling. Nothing super fancy but it kept me going all afternoon.
At dinner we had a bottle of the Pares Balta Cava, affordable bubbles to celebrate with. There were a few of us so we tried le Petit Feast and La Feast as appetisers. Then she brought out a duck dish, a fish dish and a lamb dish to share. Everything was delicious. I don't know if I could get enough of their cauliflower! I know, cauliflower?! Their hummus and baba ganooj are also super delish!
The wine list is focusing on organic, sustainable selections which is great to see. I'll definitely become a regular here! -
Review from Donna M.
6/28/2011
I arrived at 5 pm and the place was empty. Here for a conference I was on my own, and subsequently it took the hostess over 5 minutes to seat me. She asked if I wanted to sit at the bar. Never a good sign.In the hour I was there, the place started to fill up however was by no means full.
I ordered the most expensive item on the menu, lamp chops over a bed of hummus, and somehow no bread was offered to me to eat the hummus. When I was finally able to catch the eye of my waitress who was busy chatting with the bartender, I was able to get some pita. The lamb and hummus was good, not great. Perhaps I ordered the wrong thing and should of stuck with the Mezze, the primary offering on the menu.
Obviously this place is well loved, by looking at the other reviews, however it left me somewhat hungry (the lamp chops were tiny) and overall unsatisfied. I know Lebanese food, and really enjoy it. Personally, I think this restaurant is just ok. -
Review from Amy T.
5/15/2011 1 photo
Le Grande Feast was what my husband and I ordered to share and it was the perfect amount.
This feast came with hummus, baba ghonooj, taboulleh salad, house fattoush salad, crispy cauliflower, roasted potatoes and 2 meats. We chose the prawns and the lamb.
I've been reading about the cauliflower for the longest time and finally I had the chance to try it. It was everything I expected! Lemony with hint of tahini... yum! The fattoush salad was very tasty and fresh. The roasted potatoes were really good and I ended up eating most of it. The lamb was juicy and tender and the perfect medium rare. The prawns were seasoned and cooked perfectly. I was deciding between the chicken and the prawns and I am so glad I chose the prawns.
The service was great and they couldn't have done better. They could work a bit on their upkeep of the restaurant. The wall beside me had huge gashes and chunks of paint missing. This is however, not too big of a deal and when you look at the entire restaurant, it is a simple minimal style with some cute Middle Eastern lighting fixures. -
Review from Amber T.
Whistler, BC
5/16/2011
I've heard a lot about Nuba and was excited to finally be able to make it there.
For appetizers, our table enjoyed hummus and seared halloumi cheese with tomato and basil. For an entre I tried the Market Fish (freshly caught snapper and clams) flavoured with a delicious citrus cream sauce. I wasn't able to fit in dessert, but did try a bite or two of one of my friend's cardamom custard. Absolutely to die for.
My first Lebanese dining experience definitely leaves me wanting more. The flavours were simple and clean, with just the right amount of pizazz. I will be visiting Nuba again soon! -
Review from Mo m.
10/4/2011
very polished eatery in the Downtown area. It's very modern and the vibe is very relaxed. Good for groups and dinner dates from what I could gather. I ordered the Duck Magret? and it came with a really good mixed green, candied beats and mixed nut salad with some nice crumbly cheese. Honestly the salad was my favorite part. The wait staff was friendly and willing to talk about the food. It's pretty central so if you're in the area and in the mood for some ME fare, it'd be worth considering. Oh and almost forgot ,they serve Cucumber water, nice touch.
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Review from Novaira M.
Vancouver, BC
5/18/2011
I've been to Nuba twice now, the first time was on a saturday and they don't take reservations after 5 pm, so we ended up waiting about an hour to be seated ! But the next time it was on a Tuesday night and the wait for just 10 mins. Even though it was a weekday night, the place was packed ! It's located at the edge of gastown and plenty of street parking was available nearby.
Now the food ! I've tried :
baba ghanooj -- 3.5/5
cornish hen -- 3.5/5 -- the serving size was a little on the small side
chicken tawook 3.5/5 -- a little bland for my taste, the sauce it came with was pretty tasty though
najib special 5/5 -- everything that the other reviewers have written about this cauliflower dish is true, a must try !
sea scallops 5/5 -- came lying on a bed of hummus and cooked to perfection !
Instead of ordering the entrees, I would recommend ordering multiple hot mezzes and sharing those. Even after stuffing ourselves, and ordering green tea the bill came to around $30 per head. definitely a good value !
Overall, the food is solid and I would definitely recommend trying it out if you're in the mood for lebanese food. Just make sure to make a reservation before 5 pm on weekends, or you'll be in for a long wait.
The meat is all halal (except for the duck) for those who are interested. -
Review from Tara M.
6/6/2011
Late Friday night dinner - dinner for four with no reservations
Fun, elegant vibe
Good vegetarian options
Extremely nice and helpful servers (or is it just that all Canadians are super-friendly?)
Gorgeously presented food
