Carnival Restaurant

03/21/10

Truly satisfying

by TastyLA

Delicious Lebanese food (humos/shawarma/kababs) and generous portions means this Valley restaurant is busy most nights (expect a wait on weekends). Drawing fans is the food--certainly not the too bright lights or basic decor. Start with a combo appetizer plate ($10.95) of creamy humos and baba ghanoug and mint/parsley tabbouli salad. There's plenty to share. Kabobs are juicy; stick with the french fries as your side--hand cut and perfect. Choose between meat (lamb and beef) or chicken shawarma plates--about as good as it gets. The lentil soup bursts with cumin and other flavors. Service is brisk and efficient--and there's even a kids' menu. If only the beer and wine lists (boring production brews and wines) matched the quality of the food!

• Pros: Great food and generous portions at a fair price
• Cons: Boring wine and beer lists; should match food quality

02/18/10

This restaurant never dissapoints

by Ginafellini

The babaganoosh(sp?) my favorite, and Kafta kabob, mmm, grape leaves, perfection and lemony!!!

The owner/chef will serve you because he cooks with his knowledge and heart!!! I am Italian, but Lebanese food, my favorite, Dont call it a Meditteranean Restaurant. Its Lebanese all the way.!!! Worth a vist.

• Pros: everything is great!!
• Cons: Dont worry about Service, Americans are always in a hurry.

01/24/10

Authentic

by Kika Davis 2

"Bruchim Haba'im" welcomes you into this valley gem and no other words are more appropriate. It's located in a small strip-mall off of Woodman and Moorpark (with a terrible parking lot - more luck on the streets during peak times).

The food is beyond description. Smooth hummus, beef and lamb shawarma full of flavor, arabic salad with crisp cucumbers, warm out of the oven pita bread, and pickles that add jut enough "oomf" to a pita sandwich.

Make the trek from wherever you are in the city. I guarantee it's worth it.

• Pros: Portions, Price, and Pickles!
• Cons: Limited Parking

06/11/08

Excellent food

by Tixona

Okay, if you want great mediteranean food, this is the place to go. If you are in a rush, avoid this place like the plague. If you would like to cozy up to your server, head for the hills because it won't happen here!

Food is the best. We ONLY go here for the food. The service stinks. Seriously, it's bad. You'll wait forever for initial service, your food and your check but like I said, the food is worth it. We go probably once a month. We just know we aren't loving our waitress and we are not on a time limit. A couple of times, we have walked out because no one even approached us when we were first seated. We waited almost 20 mintues! We still go back. Says something, eh?

• Pros: Food quality and quantity
• Cons: Waitstaff

11/07/07

Good place for take out...dine in if you're up for a challenge

by themaxter

Great food; especially the foul, lebneh, and babagonush (the lamb was quite tasty as well) but the service was terrible! Having to track down waiters to get water at the table...and as the frizzy haired blond Lebanese waitress was bringing the food to our over crowded table, she yelled, "come on people--help me out here!" as our guests scrambled to make room in an impossibly small eating area. There was live entertainment of a transsexual belly dancer and woman whose stomach was quite large and folded several times as she danced. The entire staff stopped attending to the guests in the restaurant to watch. The show was more comical than cultural. Next time I'd get take out.

• Pros: the food taste, parking
• Cons: slow service, rude service, and FILTHY bathrooms