"Delectable" Druze dishes are delivered by these "casual" Mideasterns where the "solid" cooking and "inexpensive" tabs offset "modest" decor and "hit-or-miss" service; the UWS spin-off is "more spacious" than the "cramped" Hell's Kitchen original (which boasts a BYO policy).
Gazala's Restaurant Review:
Gazala’s, named for chef-proprietor Gazala Halabi, is reminiscent of a bustling but cozy village restaurant one might find in her native Israel. Celebrating the Druze culinary tradition, the menu is representative of Middle Eastern fare, recalling Moroccan, Israeli, Turkish and other regional dishes. Appetizers feature traditional home-style hummus moudammas (with fava beans), hummus mosabaha...
Serving Middle Eastern and Israeli cuisine from the Druze culture, a tantalizing mix of traditional regional fare with a heavy influence of North African flavors and conventions, Gazala's is the first of its kind in New York, under the direction of Halabi Gazala.
Since 2007, Chef Halabi Gazala has been serving New Yorker's authentic Druse cuisine, including favorites like falafel, kebabs, and babaganush. While not especially large, this Upper West Side location is great for a quick take out meal.