by Joey Stewart
When Baboush opened way back in August of 2011, it garnered good reviews and quickly became a popular spot. We hoped it would succeed, but in the ever-changing West Village arena, you never know. We’re glad to report that with over five years behind them, Baboush stays solid and is still a great choice for a romantic or tasty evening out.
We’ve always enjoyed the food and selection of wines at Baboush, but they also have a great list of specialty cocktails. The Moroccan Old Fashioned is made with ginger whiskey, rose water, saffron bitters, and simple syrup. A cherry tops it off. The Cucumber Delight is a refreshing mix of gin, cucumber, lemon juice, and crushed mint. The Baboush margarita combines tequila, orange marmalade, and lime juice. Except for the old fashioned, these and four more are available for seven bucks during happy hour.
If you haven’t been, the cozy dining room and bar have a swanky ‘Arabian Nights” feel. The service is friendly and the food comes out fast. We started with the “platter to share”, a sampler of spreads and olives served with harissa lebna and pita bread. It features their famous hummus, a lovely Moroccan Sweet Tomato spread made with cinnamon, garlic, and orange blossom water, and pomegranate Babaganoush.
For our main courses, we chose two of their long time tagine specialties, the Chicken Teffaya and the Muruzia Lamb. The chicken is a tender braised leg, thigh, and breast with cinnamon, honey, raisins, chickpeas and caramelized onions. The lamb is also braised and served with carrots and seasonal veggies. Other menu options that we just didn’t have room for (portions are large here), include three selections of phyllo cigars, an assortment of kababs, and “street style” sandwiches.
We’re so glad that Baboush has become a fixture of the West Village scene. Here’s to many more years to come.
