Neyla Review

Recently, a friend Instagrammed a picture of hummus at Neyla, a Lebanese restaurant in Georgetown. I don't know if it was the filter she used, or the expertly plated hummus dish, but I was sold on Neyla--I needed to go.

So when my Mom came into town this weekend, I knew that I wanted to take her there. Neyla is tucked in a corner of Georgetown off of Wisconsin and has a great outdoor seating area. The first thing that our waitress brought over to our table was a delicious plate of pita chips, olives, and Greek yogurt with olive oil.

The chips were topped with a variety of Lebanese spices and herbs--they were great by themselves, but when you dipped the chip into the Greek yogurt and olive oil it brought the dish to a whole new level. The richness of the olive oil and the creaminess of the Greek yogurt paired perfectly, and the spices on the pita chip really bolstered the flavors of the yogurt. The olives were succulent and perfectly salty.

Since the Instagram picture of Neyla's hummus was what drew me there in the first place, I knew I had to get that as an appetizer. We asked for the hummus with variety of vegetables on the side for dipping.

This hummus was by far the best hummus I've ever had. Velvety, rich, delicious--I couldn't imagine a better appetizer. The hummus also came with incredible pita bread, but I think that the pita bread almost masks the beauty of the hummus. I found the vegetables to be the better dipping vehicle because they really let the hummus shine.

For our entrees, I went with the beef kabob, and my mom went with the jumbo shrimp kabobs.

My mom said, verbatim, "This is the best shrimp I've ever had." The lemon, olive oil, and oregano marinade brought the shrimp to life and they were cooked perfectly. My steak was equally incredible. The filet mignon was cooked to a perfect medium--just as I had ordered it--and it was slathered with a garlic and red pepper marinade. This dish came with a side of batata harra, a Lebanese spicy potato dish made with red peppers, coriander, chili, and garlic. The potatoes were unlike any potato dish I had ever tasted, and their spice profile worked in perfect harmony with that of the filet.

Our overall experience at Neyla was a very enjoyable one, as the waitstaff was attentive and knowledgeable. The price per-person for our dinner was about $40, which I would gladly pay again for another dinner at Neyla.

If you like hummus, steak, shrimp, pita, or Middle Eastern flavors, Neyla is the place for you.

Visit Neyla at 3206 N St, NW

Washington, DC 20007