Amardeen Lebanese and Mediterranean Cuisine

Where Qin West reduces ordering to kiosk transactions and Calvin's chains itself to gluten-free chicken, Amardeen operates as an actual restaurant — servers who guide you through the menu, outdoor seating that doesn't feel like an afterthought, reservation infrastructure for when relatives visit. That's the differentiator: this is the Lebanese joint that handles a Tuesday solo lunch and a Friday eight-top with the same confidence. The **mashviyat** (grilled meats) earn the most repeat mentions, but the vegetarian selection runs deeper than token falafel — fresh tabbouleh, baba ghanouj with enough lemon to wake you up, and those just-baked pita rounds that show up warm enough to remind you bread doesn't have to come from a bag.

Pricing sits above University City's lunch-rush average, but portions close the gap. You're not getting fast-casual quantities. The falafel comes recommended over rice rather than stuffed into pita, which speaks to a kitchen that cares about texture survival — crisp exteriors don't hold up well against steam and compression. The staff steers you toward combinations that actually work, which matters more here than at places with three-item menus.

Service moves quickly without feeling rushed, a balance that's harder to maintain than it sounds. The remodel brought the indoor space up to date, but the outdoor seating remains the better play when weather cooperates — University City dining rooms tilt corporate, and this one's no exception. Come for the **hummus**, stay because the **salads** taste like someone's actually washing and drying the greens instead of shaking them straight from the bag. It's not trying to reinvent Lebanese food. It's just executing it consistently in a neighborhood where most Middle Eastern options live inside Whole Foods or hide in strip malls without signage.