Barbounia - New York

We had brunch here. Really nice decor and ambiance. Clean, bright, nice overall vibe. Great service. Good location if you are near Union Square. The food was very good but I would not say stellar, especially for the price. Have had equally good mezze at strip mall restaurants and equally good omelette and shakshuka at ‘higher end' diners or places like Turning Point.

Overall this was a great dining experience. My only issue was paying $80 for a bottle of wine that was clearly $58 on their menu. I did not get the opportunity to bring up this discrepancy with the check as the restaurant was quite busy and I had reservations for another event. I will say that the food quality was exceptional. We had Portuguese grilled octopus as an appetizer which was sensational. I also had the Duck ‘shawarma' which was delicious and cooked to perfection. I would definitely go back there to try more of their innovative food, but there should be more cost effective options on their wine list.

Like many NYC restaurants, you need to speak very touch to be heard by your dining companion.

The food was amazing. We had the 5 item appetizer, duck, chicken, lamb and halibut entrees. All were amazing!

The short rib is exceptionally special. Top ten meals of my life!