Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot eating & cooking in Northwest England)
1
Pre-Covid there were about 20 restaurants that we used to visit on a regular basis. Of those, Yara was the only one that we could get as home delivery during lockfown. And, of all the delivery meals we’’ve had, Yara’s food survived best. But it was great to be actually back in the restaurant.
There are still dishes on the menu that we haven’t tried but this was a meal to enjoy old favourites. As ever, we ordered several starters and a single main course to be brought altogether for us to share between the two of us. And everything was as good as ever.
Muhamara was the usual red pepper and walnut dip. It wasn’t quite as we remembered. Had they added a touch of pomegranate molasses for a bit of sweet/sharp? Really nice. Makmour is basically aubergine, cooked so long that it is almost another dip. Certainly went well with the pitta.
We had a couple of salads, each easily enough to feed 4. Tabbouleh is mainly parsley as you expect, but there’s also chopped onion and tomato. And fattoush is a mixed salad – lettuce, tomato, cucumber, radish. Both were light and fresh and both could have stood more lemon juice in the dressing.
The single main course was a flavoursome kofta kebab (2 skewers). They serve that with two chilli sauces – one quite mild, the other anything but. Lovely.
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Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot eating & cooking in Northwest England)
2
Well, that restaurant visiting lark didnt last too long. With the rise in Omicron , we decided in mid December to go back to home dlivery for a while. Maybe another month and things will feel OK again. But, in the meantime…
Of the various restaurant home delivery meals we’ve had over the last couple of years, those from Yara have been the most successful, the most enjoyable. Part of it is that Lebanese/Syrian food is a favourite of ours and partly that the style of the food travels well – there’s really no deterioration in quality from eating it in the restaurant.
As always, whether in the restaurant or at home, we order several starters and a single main course. The two dips were outstanding – mouhamara with it’s slightly sweet edge from the red peppers and moutabal, silky smooth aubergine perked up with the earthiness from tahini. Makmour is listed amongst the cold starters but experience teaches us that it always comes as a hot one. It may be the most delicious of all the Eastern Mediterranean starters that you’ll come across whether called makmour in the Levant or patlican salata in Turkey. Aubergine, long cooked with onion, tomato and peppers – think of it as a chunky dip. We also had a fattoush – as always a lovely light salad, with crisp croutons and topped with what I thought might have been dried mint (could have used more lemon juice though). The single main course was a kofta kebab, tasty but perhaps a tad overcooked. It was perked up by a fiery chilli sauce – one day I’m going to ask them if they make it or buy it in (and if the latter, then where can I get a bottle). It is an absolute belter.
For carbs, there was pitta. The dips come with it but we ordered a couple of extras. It’s a thickish flatbread, rather than the kebab shop version which opens as a pocket. They also kindly sent along a freeble portion of rice.
We also ordered a portion of baklava. In truth not a great version as it was a bit dry.
All round, an enjoyable dinner which gave us a night off from cooking. And had enough leftovers for next day’s lunch.
