ASHA Moroccan Mediterranean Restaurant

My wife & I loved this place, hoping they re-​open soon.

Great new little restaurant. Jackie was a great server. The owners mom is rhe chef. Will come back again.

So.
I’ve been to this place multiple times before when they first opened but somewhere between then and now the service went down.
Since they opened this place was BYOW (bring your own wine) with no corkage fee. yes!
Tonight when I went, the bottle was taken from our table. 3 of the 5 tables had bottle of wine on them and one table even had 3 bottles. When asked the host, who’s also part of the family that owns it, we were told you can’t have your bottle… even though other tables had theirs.
When we asked out server at the Ed of the meal what was up, she said a Muslim investor was here and left right when we say down.
Maybe partially true. The other tables were sitting down before us and had bottles before we walked in.
I like you’re food but be fair, consistent, and if you’re going to lie to me… have a consistent story.
PS: Apparently I never submitted this but thank god they closed!

I don’t eat that much at middle eastern food restaurants except for Zankou Chicken, Greek or Wholesome Food Market.
When my friend asked me to join him, walking down Broadway, Asha looked like the best bet. Glad we stopped here. When you walk in, it seems pretty small, but we didn’t realize that there is an upstairs dining area and a patio/​street dining.
It’s a bit of a modern twist in deco of the Mediterranean look.
The water that is served, is delivered in a clear bottle with a cinnamon stick at the bottom.
I had a chicken stew that seemed to meld curry and olives together.
As my friend had lamb and prunes. My other friend decided to go with the typical fare of chicken shwarma (sic).
The chicken stew was great with soft potatoes and nice tangy soup to pour over the rice (just the way Filipinos love to eat their rice and entrée!)
My friend’s lamb had a nice robust taste. It seemed a bit similar to Filipino sinigang but the lamb was so soft the meat was ready to fall off the bone.
Chicken Schwarma — a nice good taste but a lil dry as it sat on top a bed of basmati rice with your choice of salad.
Good eats.
I know it was all about the ambiance, but I jokingly said to my friends. it sure feels like you’re eat at a Moroccan street restaurant including the two flies that would not leave us alone during our dinner. Haha.
Our server was great. But one of the hostesses seemed to have an aura of I’m higher than thou look. Maybe it’s just her look but she may really be a good person.
Anywho. no five stars coz of the dang two flies that would not leave us alone!

Unilocal, in a way you have kind of failed me. My boyfriend and I checked out the reviews for ASHA on Unilocal and decided to head over for dinner last night.
So a few things, I will say that the lamb kebab I got was good– but to be honest the portion size versus price was pretty insulting. When the server brought out our food i saw my boyfriend immediately get sad. $ 10.95 for the tiniest kabab I have ever seen in my life. Plus we both ordered the batatas which we were told were great… but they were horribly salty!
The server also seemed to be a bit overwhelmed and left us at the table waiting to order drinks and appetizers for quite some time.
Overall we were not especially impressed, and were rather disappointed because neither of us are terribly hard to please. However if you DO decide to go be sure the check in on your phone because you get a free cucumber yogurt dip with pita bread.

Herro!
They have WINE!!!
Delicious food and intoxicating wine!
Wine makes everything taste better.

I am a fan! I have had the grape leaves, chicken tawook, chicken tajeen, and the kafta tajeen. Let me tell you, order the kafta!
Finding authentic Moroccan food can be a challenge and I don’t think I am the best judge of what is good, since I myself am not Moroccan, but my brother-​in-​law (from Morocco) was very impressed with their menu and food. So, I guess I can’t be all that off in saying ASHA is magically delicious.

It was strange reading the reviews after I’d made reservations for this place! Many people did not like it and I can see why, but for me, I was thankful I didn’t get a less than subpar experience.
We checked in via Unilocal to get the Laban dip freebie, which was great to start with. We also added the eggplant and the combo of the two was delicious. Granted, I may not know much about Moroccan/​Mediterranean cuisine, but whatever that did come out, was great. I ordered the Royal Asha and was not disappointed. The beef was tender and juicy (medium rare) and the lamb was great as well (medium rare). Basically, all three meats were yummy in my tummy. I tasted the boy’s lamb dish (Lamb tajeen) and that lamb was really well done (well-​cooked, I mean). It was super tender and flaky and juicy. Way better than the lamb I had.
For my short trip through Long Beach, this was a great place to come, chat, and have a good meal.

The Batatas will have you hooked.
I’m a simple lady, and I love my potatoes.
This place does them right.
Dip them in the garlic sauce, and slip away into a guilty pleasure bliss.
I can’t speak for their entire menu (although maybe one day I’ll sit down and try more things).
I’m just really a sucker for the batatas.

*I want to start off this review stating that this was my first time ever being exposed to Mediterranean cuisine of any kind besides pita and hummus, so my opinion may be skewed.*
First off, I want to point out the good things: I really like the way the interior is designed, very pleasant atmosphere, and I also liked the deal they have for a free laban dip with the check-​in.
We ordered the baba ghanoush and got the laban dip to start off. The baba ghanoush had a super smoky taste to it, reminiscent to what a grill smells like. Alone it did not taste so good, but upon adding some laban dip it cut through the smokiness and mellowed everything out. Their pita was okay, a little chewy.
For the entrée I ordered the chicken tawook. The portion is adequate for the price, but as for the taste, I had mixed feelings about it. Everything tasted very strong by itself: the garlic sauce was very sour, chicken was bland and not very tender, and the tabbouleh didn’t have that much taste at all. But once I combined some garlic sauce with the chicken, that tasted better with some basmati rice afterwards and a bite of tabbouleh to cleanse the palette. I did not like the texture of the tabbouleh, however. To be honest, the flavors were not exactly GOOD, but interesting.
Overall, I feel like they are pretty overpriced: a friend ordered the fish tajeen that was $ 23, but what came out was around 4 measly cuts of fish in a small amount of sauce. Service was pretty slow as well, the appetizers came out after 20 minutes or so and the food came out another 20 after that. They put cinnamon sticks in their water as well which is kinda weird. I wish I opted for some other place for my initial Mediterranean cuisine experience.

Came here for dinner on a Sunday night and sadly left disappointed. The restaurant and surrounding downtown area was pretty quiet that evening, and yet it was still somehow difficult to find street parking. I liked the ambiance of the restaurant, but besides that, everything else kind of went downhill. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was that it was really warm inside. They left the doors open at least, but there were occasionally flies buzzing around during our meal.
Anyway, my party ordered chicken shawarma with asha salad and the royal asha with fattoush. Chicken shawarma was dry and under-​seasoned. Garlic spread was okay but I’ve had better. The garlic spread was the only thing adding flavor and moisture to my meal. Royal asha was a combo of lamb, chicken, and filet mignon. The chicken was dry and bland as well. Filet mignon was really tender, but again, bland. Lamb was tender, but pretty salty and hard to appreciate all the spices when salt is overpowering everything else. At least the salad dressings weren’t too sour like the ones I’ve had at other Mediterranean restaurants.
Overall, it was an underwhelming food experience.

I was unfortunately disappointed with the food and the atmosphere. The door was open for a reason that I am unaware of. This caused some unexpected dinner guests to join every customer. Flies invaded every moment of what was expected to be a nice and relaxing evening. For Mediterranean food, it was the most plain and unexciting version of this food I have tasted. The Baba Ghanoush was extremely bland. The falafel was okay, very crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside. The free appetizer that mimicked Taziki sauce was ok as well. The pita bread was old and stale. So I will not be racing back to dine here again soon.

We loved the food here. The chicken was very tender and well spiced and seasoned. The beef was very tender and good to ordered temperature, rare in ethnic restaurants. I read rave reviews of the lamb, and it was good but my expectation was exceptional. I will guess the lamb had an off night because everything else was great.
The staff was very personable and friendly. The hostess helped us with last minute reservations and got us seated. It was a warm day and the upstairs, while they have AC was warmer than comfiortable. One review said they did not have wine, they did have a wine and beer list and a bar downstairs. I will go back.

After exploring many Mediterranean restaurants around LBC, I really didn’t care for this one. The waiter we had didn’t seem like he wanted to be there, we tried making jokes here and there trying to loosen him up but no response… but aside from the service.
B-​: Batatas — more on the dry side, the garlic sauce was bland
C: Chicken Tawook Sandwich — again meh, nothing too great
B: Beef Kabob — the quality of the beef was very tender and juicy
D: Tabouli Salad — it has an after taste that I did not care for
A: Asha Salad– this salad was refreshing, filled with cucumbers and lime juice, the only item I really enjoyed
I think my overall deal with this place was the lack of flavor for a Mediterranean food, I expect outburst of spices with every bite but that wasn’t the case.
With many other places to go to, I don’t think I will be back, but judging on how great their reviews, you decide.

I came here for dinner with my girls during my Bachelorette celebration.
Five Stars for the food. Everything was flavorful and delicious. I ordered a Kafta Tajeen which had beef, and lamb and tomatoes, and came with either cous cous or basalmi rice. We also had a mixed appetizer and Labni. The bell peppers and eggplant, the Baba Ganoush, and the grape leaves were very good.
Five Stars for the belly dancer. She was very good, and never let anything distract her. She eye flirts as she dances.
Five Stars for the ambiance. This place feels upscale without having upscale prices. There are a lot of items for under $ 10.
Five Stars for the most refreshing water I’ve ever had. They placed a cinnamon stick in the bottle.

Hard to find based on the address. Actually located on Broadway next to Green House Café.
Laban Dip ($ 4.50)
— free with Unilocal Check in
— refreshing with the tahini sauce and chopped cucumbers
— great way to start the meal
Hummus Trio ($ 8.75)
— Hummus, spicy hummus, and Babilia with pita bread
— another great appetizer to get the taste buds going
— the hummus wasn’t too chunky and very smooth
— comes in a nicely presented 4 section plate including the dips and fresh cucumber and green bell pepper slices
Zaolook ($ 4.25)
— roasted eggplant, garlic, tomatoes and spices on home-​baked flat bread
— one of my favorite dishes of the night
— the flavors topping the flat bread were spot on!
— the roasted eggplant and garlic just added more flavor.
— I would have been happy if this was the only thing we ordered!
— a MUST order!
Veggie Entrée ($ 8.99)
— adeesa over Basmati rice with Baba Ghanouj and choice of salad (tabouli salad)
— the adeesa was actually quite flavorful
— the Baba Ghanouj was a bit different since it looks like hummus but doesn’t taste like it. (First time trying Baba Ghanoui)
— good alternative to falafels for the vegetarians!
Beef kabob ($ 12.99)
— marinated cubes of top sirloin steak over a kabob salad with roasted onions and tomatoes, basmati rice and choice of salad (asha salad)
— meat was well marinated and the cubes were not too chunky
— the roasted onion was very good
— good staple Mediterranean dish
K’naffeh ($ 6.99)
— exotic wheat pastry over a layer of sweet ashta cream baked and topped with caramelized rosewater
— a bit of a mushy consistency that I didn’t really care for
— I also thought it would be more crispier and sweet but no so much
— I would pass on this.
SERVICE: decent. The food was served a little longer than expected (more than 20 minutes) but at least it was good. No need to refill water since each table got a carafe. The waiter was nice and had no issues taking off any discounts that were applicable.
ENVIRONMENT: being that it has been very hot lately, it was very disappointing that there was no AC on. It got quite stuffy in the restaurant. Other than the heat, the restaurant has a nice vibe to it. Some patio, upstairs, and inside main floor seating.
Overall, I would come back again. The food was a reasonable price and good portions. The vibe is also very laid back (probably because they also sell wine and beer). Parking may be the only thing that deters most people from coming back. Otherwise, give ASHA a try and you may be pleasantly surprised!

Came here last night for a late dinner. We were greeted when we walked in and did not have to wait that long for a table. We thought the person who sat us down was our server, turns it was not…
Our server took a while to head over to our table to introduce herself and take our order. Anyways, we ordered the batatas, m’shakkal platter, and the royal asha.
She also failed to bring us a complementary labni appetizer. I’m not sure if it was replaced with the laban dip, which was also complementary for checking in.
— Labni appetizer, batatas, and the royal asha was really good.
— laban dip was just OK…
— m’shakkal platter was… eh… a mistake? I didn’t really like anything in it…
Overall, this place was just OK. if i come back… i’ll only order a main dish.

Very pleased with the restaurant. We were hosting a small dinner for VIP clients, and we wanted something ethnic, unusual, and close to where we were staying. I contacted the restaurant and they were kind enough to put us on the second floor in a nice spot tucked away by the window overlooking the street. We ordered a ton of food to taste and share and everything was perfectly cooked, seasoned, and served. I don’t think much more than a grain of rice was left on a plate.
The only downside was that corner of the room was VERY dark. I wish I had taken a picture of the six of us laughing as we all had out either keychain LED lights or our iPhones with the flashlight feature on just to read the menu. They could put in tiny LED flickering lights inside all those cute Moroccan lanterns.
NOTE: While the address says Linden, the entrance of the location is actually on BROADWAY side. Three of our guests who drove here from out of town had a very hard time finding it — we had given them the address based on the website info, so they were all late as they were not familiar with the restaurant. On the other hand, our taxi driver knew exactly where it was and so we didn’t have that problem.

Friends took us to Asha on a Saturday evening dinner. We didn’t have RSVP, so we hung out in by the bar where there was an art show. The wines and most beers were $ 5, except the Chimay, which was $ 9 for a bottle.
Its quite loud with Indian/​Mediterranean music playing. There was also a belly dancer dancing around tables for tip.
We were seated upstairs, which has a good amount of large party tables and some smaller tables. Started the evening with the the Mixed Sampler platter which came with pitta bread. The dips were very flavorful, I wasn’t quite sure what the other things were, but it was also delicious!
I ordered the Beef Kabob entrée, with the Asha salad (delicious). I requested for the meat to be cooked medium, but it came out mediem-​well. I also tried my boyfriends plate which was the Royal entrée, came with Lamb, Beef and Chicken. The lamb was cooked perfectly and was quite juicy.
I showed the waitress my Unilocal check-​in offer which is free Hummus… She said that the Unilocal offer expired in 2012, but will honor it just this one time.

This place has a cool NY city life vibe to it. Narrow building, but high ceilings with an open second story looking loft. The large windows facing the city street really invite a nightlife feel, and the low lighting and ambiance kicks it up even more. I knew I would like it the moment I walked in. There were alot of large parties, and we had a reservation on a Friday night, but they were not talking walk ins because they were already a full house. Lucky us for thinking ahead.
I’ve never had Moroccan food before, so I cannot vouch for the authenticity of it, however I’ve also had a host of ethnic cuisine similar to Moroccan food (Persian, Afghan, Greek, etc.) and this place tastes nothing like them. So, I know they’re not a copycat version of other places, but unique.
I was a little hesitant coming here because in my ignorance I assumed all hummus, grape leaves, falafel is the same as any other place I’ve been to. Wrong! There’s a difference between quality, freshness, and taste. And this place does it well! The flavor profiles are remarkable. Every appetizer in our platter was so unique and different.
The beef kebabs were flavorful and juicy. I asked for it cooked medium, and they cooked it well done, but that’s was the worst part about the whole dinner experience. The side salad I got was the Asha salad which is a cucumber and tomato blend, light simple and refreshing but flavorful. You have options of Tabouli and one other salad too.
I did appreciate the tiny details of adding a cinnamon stick to our glass vase of bottled water. A nice flare!
Service was great, friendly, and prompt. I did want to try their Asha ice cream (Cherimoya) but they had ran out. Bummer.
Luckily this place is good enough to make me want to come back, so I can maybe try it then.