Yemen Restaurant
Author & Photographer: Wendy Zheng
Image from: https://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=32086
I was initially planning on stopping by the popular and well-reviewed Shibam for my first taste of Yemeni Food; however, once a couple friends and I finally made our way up to the corner of Lawrence and Elston in Albany Park, we decided last minute to try out Shibam’s much less popular neighbor, Yemen Restaurant. As there are only three Yemeni restaurants in Chicago, it seems likely that the two restaurants have some sort of relationship as the window of Yemen Restaurant unabashedly recommends to go to Shibam instead if they are closed. I think the main difference between the two is that Yemen Restaurant has a more casual atmosphere; however, despite Yemen Restaurant’s environment, I personally found the service courteous and the food generously portioned and delicious.
The atmosphere at Yemen Restaurant was eclectically comforting. The walls and haphazardly placed booths in the two separate dining rooms were a matching electric teal, and the carpeted floor seating in the back was an extremely homey touch. It was comforting to see that the entire restaurant was staffed by two women: one responsible for cooking and one responsible for serving. The woman serving us kindly recommended star dishes to try, and in addition to her recommended grilled salmon, we ordered a Jerusalem salad, large hummus, mandi lamb, lamb haneeth, and four Yemeni milk teas to share. It’s worth mentioning that they were unfortunately out of the fahsa and the saltah, two Yemeni soups I was excited to try because of their whipped fenugreek garnish. However, it’s completely understandable as I can imagine these dishes are rather labor and time-intensive and not worth making for a sleepy Sunday afternoon. Also, unbeknownst to us while we were ordering, the mandi lamb and lamb haneeth are almost identical, differing primarily in the spices that are used.Nonetheless, both were equally delicious.
The first thing that came out was the grilled salmon, and the flavorful crunchy blackened crust and tender flesh of the large filet matched perfectly with the roasted tomato and onion it was served with. The fish was so well spiced that it didn’t even need the fresh tomato-based hot sauce that it came out with, and it tasted absolutely sensational when wrapped with the freshly baked Yemeni bread. The bread on its own was a showstopper as it was nearly the size of a large Domino's pizza and simultaneously had a crisp crust and soft interior. However, the bread was transcendently tasty when paired with the delectably smooth hummus and the well-dressed crisp cucumbers and tomatoes in the Jerusalem salad.
Even though everything was satisfying, the mandi lamb and lamb haneeth were definitely the highlights of the meal. Both dishes were composed of a bed of spiced saffron rice with boiled (potentially also broiled) unapologetically huge chunks of lamb. All cuts of the lamb were fall off the bone tender and juicy, but the chunks with the still-attached bone marrow really kicked it up a notch, especially when combined with the unbelievably fragrant rice and complementary fresh lime. Finally, to end the meal, the waitress brought out four piping hot cups of pungent, creamy, and heavily-sweetened milk tea: the perfect ending note to an incredible meal. However, my indulgence in this lunch is in stark contrast to the humanitarian crisis, famine, and US-backed violence currently impacting Yemen. I hope that more Yemeni refugees and immigrants are accepted into Chicago and supported to build and grow this vibrant community.