Laffa Medi-Eastern Restaurant & Bar

Growing up with a brother in law from Israel who had his own middle eastern restaurant I grew up eating the lavish and rich recipes handed down from his family for ages.  Falafel, hummus, schwarma, etc.  So, with that being said I couldn't contain my excitement after reading about this new restaurant Laffa.  After reading about it, it seemed like it was really going to be an authentic middle eastern restaurant right here in the downtown heart of Tulsa!  well...suffice to say..what a HUGE disappointment.  there is nothing authentic about this place except that it is in the Brady district in an old building.  The toubulli was so salty and drenched in some sort of italian dressing and there was no parsley in it.  Last time I checked this dish had parsley as part of the recipe.  The falafel was bland to say the least, and the hummus was average at best.  To tell the truth I have had store bought hummus that was better.  So, as you can see I was quite disappointed.  It reminded me of Cosmo, but just trying to be fancier with middle eastern dishes.  Low and behold, it is owned by the same people who own cosmo...go figure.  In all fairness though, the service was really great and the ambiance was nice.  Just too many times nice places open up and the food just sucks...unfortunately Laffa is one of those places.

I've only picked up falafel from their counter so my review is a bit limited and I can't really speak to the ambiance.  The falafel was interesting and tasty but not authentic at all.  If you're looking for a yummy middle eastern meal, find yourself another place.  This won't hit the spot.  However, if you're looking for a mostly American tasting sandwich with interesting flavors, this is great.  My pita was stuffed with sweet potatoes (random, but good), falafel (a little on the drier side but still good), some spicy mango sauce I believe, hummus, tahini and some veggies.  It was great for a quick-ish meal.

For the price, this place is decent. It delivers exactly what the menu tells you. Kudos for a very witty menu, including reference to Esau's Birthright Soup...hilarious. Prices? Not so hilarious. A wrap with a side of sweet potato fries nearly bankrupted me. Not so much the weekend dive in. However, ambience was romantic with beautiful mood lighting and fixtures. A nice date place on occasion.