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Local Gourmet – Sahara Lebanese Market & Cafe
For fans of Tysons Corner’s Lebanese Taverna, there is finally a place in Loudoun County with to-die-for tabouleh and homemade falafel.
There really is nothing like the taste, texture and freshness of well-made Lebanese food. Owners Nassar Abousamak and his wife, Manal Kattaw, and their chef, formerly of Lebanese Taverna, have put together some of the best Lebanese recipes offered locally. That’s because Abousamak’s mom, Nagwa, is the inspiration for the extensive menu.
Having met in Kuwait en route to Iraq back in 2003, Abousamak and Kattaw say their decision to open a place in Sterling was influenced by Abousamak’s experience working in hotel management and on cruise ships. Now government contractors working for the Department of Defense, you can tell they also care a great deal about customer service and great food.
“I wouldn’t serve something I wouldn’t want to eat,” Abousamak explains. “I don’t over-order groceries, I have a very small freezer, and we get fresh meat and vegetables every day.”
Pastries are made with homemade pastry dough; the four-cheese mix includes Lebanese cow and goat cheeses and feta. The spinach pastries are just enough to whet the appetite for the giant mixed grill platter. Grilled lamb kabab, shish tawouk (chicken) and kufta kabab (a blend of lamb and beef, cooked individually rather than on a big skewer) is served with rice, pita and roasted vegetable salad, and a fluffier-than-normal garlic cream.
“There has got to be extra extra virgin olive oil,” Abousamak says. The “extra extra” is evidenced by its darker olive hue, imported from Lebanon and used generously in most, if not all, of the dishes. The best entrees are also laced with fresh-squeezed lemon and a seven-spice blend that includes paprika, cinnamon, saffron, nutmeg, olive spices and curry.
“Lebanese food is nothing if it’s not labor intensive,” Abousamak says.
It takes four hours to finish slicing a whole skewer of traditional shawarma (a blend of ground lamb and beef) that has been marinating for 24 hours using 11 different spices. Abousamak says the meat is sliced and then marinated again in its own juices as well as his key ingredients: olive oil, garlic, onion and lemon.
The beef shawarma is also marinated for a long time, offering a tangy taste with thyme, sesame, olive oil and salt. In fact, all of the meats are full-flavored and tender. There are no dry, over- or undercooked meats to be found at Sahara.
One of the best appetizers is the unforgettable tabouleh. The crisp parsley is zesty with fresh lemons and not overly salted. The falafel is certainly some of the best in the county. Moist inside and crisp on the outside, they are easy to fill up on. The kibbeh, a pocket of ground beef seasoned with the signature spice blend and pine nuts, is covered with crushed wheat before frying, and perfectly combined with the hummus. The creamy, garlicky blend is glazed with olive oil and paprika and made fresh daily, in-house.
In the next few weeks, the grilled halloum cheese from Cyprus will be perfected with a splash of brandy, once Abousamak has his liquor license.
The fast-casual atmosphere satisfies diners on many fronts: the bright, clean rooms are nicely decorated (thanks to Kattaw) and include a hookah lounge adjacent to the cafe. The market has shelves of imported groceries and homemade pastries and menu for customers on the go, and the food is reasonably priced and made fast.
Sahara's hours are Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sahara Lebanese Market & Cafe is at 46950 Community Plaza in Sterling. Prices are at www.saharamarketcafe.com.
Rebekah Pizana is a gourmet chef and food writer. She can be reached at gourmetwriter@gmail.com or follow her at www.Twitter.com/iwritegourmet.
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