Adeline Olmer
- Jun 30, 2023
- 2 min read

Exploring New Flavors

Sometimes you have the opportunity to discover a new world; that’s what happened to me when I went to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn.

It was a jaunt I took with the “Ladies Who Lunch,” Barbara, Andrea, Jackie, and me—a group of friends who love to explore and discover new and different foods and flavors. How wonderful is that!

Barbara suggested we visit Sahadi Importing Co. It is an “old-world place [established in 1895] where you can discover new tastes.” She had been there and wanted to share the experience.

But first lunch. We walked down Atlantic Ave. to “Bedouin Tent, a family-owned restaurant established in 1989 . . . Bedouin Tent represents the generous hospitality and essence of the nomadic people who have lived in the deserts of Jordan for millennia. They pride themselves in only using fresh ingredients and preparing all meals fresh per order.”

To start, we ordered stuffed grape leaves and to my delight each bite revealed a hint of lemon that made me want more. We followed that by ordering different plates: the Kebba plate, Chicken plate, Merquez plate, and the Falafel plate; each served with a choice of hummus or Babaghanoush and pita. The food was delicious and abundant.

Printed at the bottom of the menu are the words “Serving you is our pleasure.” That was certainly our experience. Our waitress welcomed us with a smile and made certain our questions were answered and we had everything we needed. Honestly, I can’t wait to go back.

Atlantic Avenue is full of fun stores that we wandered in and out of on our way from Bedouin Tent to Sahadi, which describes itself as a Middle Eastern grocery store that “offers fine ancient grains and exquisite spices, with hundreds of bulk bins filled with freshly roasted nuts, dried fruits, imported olives, and coffee beans.” Walking across its threshold was a blast of sensory and visual delight.

When I travel, one of my first stops is the local grocery store. I scour the aisles examining everything and wondering what I might be able to pop into my suitcase.

I had the same experience at Sahadi’s. I combed the shelves and filled my basket with exciting new products: stuffed grape leaves I couldn’t resist, dried herbs, Lebanese-style Zaatar, walnut preserves, chestnut spread, kaffir lime leaves, and pita chips flavored with Zaatar. I was tempted by so much more: the cheeses, dried fruits, prepared foods, desserts, and the amazing assortment of breads we watched being made in front of us.