Take me to the Balkans
Have you ever had Balkan cuisine? No? Me either, until TODAY. And GUESS WHAT?! It’s FANTASTIC. GUESS WHAT ELSE?! You can eat unlimited amounts of it at Ambar EVERY SINGLE DAY for lunch for only $20!
I know, I know — that was an excessive use of CAPS LOCK, but I’m EXCITED.
We’ve all been aware of bottomless brunch for years, right? Well bottomless sugary drinks are just not my thing — but bottomless FOOD? Sign. me. up. The small plates at Ambar are designed to share, and the variety of dishes ensures that everyone will find something they like.
I was treated to so many menu items, and none of them disappointed. However, there were some dishes that really SHINED. Below are some favorite items that I tried, but please let us know what your go-to dishes are at Ambar in the comments!
Balkan Salad
Crisp, fresh, and well seasoned – the perfect thing to order while dining al fresco.
Mezze
Such a unique charcuterie experience. Especially the cows milk kajmak – similar to clotted cream. The crispy pork cracklings are completely luxurious and a true guilty pleasure.
Brussels Sprouts
A favorite of mine, these Ambar offerings are crispy and refreshing with super crunchy bacon and creamy yogurt.
Cheese Pie
One of my top two favorite bites was the baked cheese pie. I ate the whole thing in under a minute. It’s reminiscent of spanikopita, but WAY BETTER. The dough is insanely flaky, dotted with creamy, salty cheese. The refreshing cucumber yogurt keeps you going back for “just one more bite,” until it vanishes.
Stuffed Sour Cabbage
This traditional Balkan slow-cooked dish was the star of the meal. Filled with tender pork belly and rice, over chunky mashed potatoes and drizzled with yogurt, it was a symphony of balance. I could not get enough of how addicting the sourness of the cabbage was – it cut through the potatoes and yogurt with pizazz, while enhancing the subtlety of the pork belly.
Kale Salad
Seems skip-worthy, right? I couldn’t stop eating it. The chipotle dressing emulated a Mexican Caesar salad, and I’m into it.
Balkan kebab
Maybe not the most photogenic, but it was so delicious I had to talk about it. The dish is kept so simple because the flavor speaks for itself. These kebabs are moist, heavily spiced and completed addicting. Like the best little kefta you’ve ever had.
Grilled Chicken Slider
I could eat 37 of these chicken sliders. Ambar showcases a hard grilled chicken thigh that’s moist and flavorful with cooling yogurt and a buttery bun. It was a delicious two-bite delight.
Sesame Crusted Salmon
I was looking forward to this dish owing to my love of Asian flavors. The salmon was crispy with a sesame seed crust on the outside, but completely melts in your mouth when you take a bite. It’s elevated even more by the salty crunch on top and the sweet eggplant puree, like velvet underneath.
Beef & Pork Sausage
Talk about taking a trip to flavor town. This play on pork and beans is SO good — spicy and smoky and comforting and tastes like camping. Have you ever seen the movie Dennis the Menace? Remember the scene where he finds Christopher Lloyd, a hobo, camping in the woods cooking a can of beans over the fire? I imagined that scene when I ate this and now I want to go camping.
Mushroom Flatbread
How could this ever be bad? The umami of the mushrooms and stringy cheese is intoxicating; the bread is chewy and crisp. It’s all so good even though I’m at maximum capacity in my gut at this point.
Mussels
You should only get mussels at Ambar from now on. They only give you one option of mussles, which is perfect, and the bread is everything you want with a bowl of moules. It’s thick and crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside. Perfect for dunking. The brandy brings a bite to the broth, and the capers are a welcome nugget of brine with each of the plump mollusks. I LOVE IT. THANK YOU, AMBAR.
Forest Gnocchi
OMG. I don’t even like dessert, and I could not stop eating this. It’s plated beautifully with chocolate mousse, bitter orange cake, ground chocolate, orange gelee, taragon gnocchi, passion fruit espuma and served with black tea sauce on the side. The whole thing is mixed together table-side creating a mud-like consistency, but it tastes exactly like Jaffa Cake! Go order this.
Plenty more delicious desserts are available, like the balkan tresleches and the cinnamon sweet sourdough donut!
My service was impeccable, the food was divine, and I’m disappointed I haven’t tried Ambar until now. You MUST go have lunch at Ambar. You can order all of this AND MORE for only $20! And you can order as many as you want, it’s incredible. Go right meow!