Syriana Cafe and Gallery

Although much of old Ellicott City was recently devastated by the second major flood in just two years, progress is being made to clean up and reopen the stores. My daughter and I took a trip down Main Street just this past Monday to visit the Syriana Cafe and show our support. Besides this cafe, there are a few other businesses which have already reopened. These struggling owners need customers to return!

If you haven't paid a visit to the Syriana Cafe yet, I recommend you get down there and give it a try. Our meal was delicious and unique. The service was friendly. The gallery is stocked with three floors of jewelry, trinkets, home wares, and decorative objects imported from Syria. There is plenty to enjoy.

If you are heading down Main Street (walking east) you will find Syriana Cafe on the left, just after the traffic light at Old Columbia Pike. Upon entering, you can place your order at the counter. There are tables on all three floors, so you can sit anywhere to eat your meal.

We had an early lunch. I ordered the Chicken Shwarma meal ($12.99) which includes a warm chicken mixture with cooked tomatoes and other veggies inside a soft flatbread, a side of fries, a garlic sauce, and a chunky salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce and parsley. My daughter chose the lamb chops, rice, hummus, and salad ($16.99). We also ordered Syrian coffee ($3.49) which comes black, in tiny cups, and is similar to Turkish coffee.

Everything we ate was well-cooked, appropriately seasoned, fresh, and delicious. The chicken shwarma was something new for me, and I would definitely order it again. It was not overly spicy and the soft flatbread had great texture and chew. The fries were somewhat fat and soft, which is how I like them. (Not McDonald's style!) They came with a dusting of spices and sesame seeds. The garlic sauce was very tasty, and a great accompaniment for the sandwich and the fries. The salad was super fresh and crunchy.

My daughter's lamb chops were thin and cooked to a well-done temperature. They came on a large bed of white basmati rice. The side of hummus was particularly delicious--redolent of tahini with a drizzle of olive oil over the top. When I return, I will definitely order the hummus!

The Syrian coffee was interesting. The bottom of the tiny cups contained the coffee grounds, so we had to sip carefully. There was a hint of spice--cardamom was my guess--that made it extra special. It's not something I would order every day, but it was fun to try it.

The Syriana Cafe is a very special place: a unique cafe and gallery where you can experience the foods of a different culture and shop for gifts you won't find anywhere else. If you are intrigued, take a trip down to old Ellicott City and check it out for yourself.

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