Belly Full: Ranoush brings Syrian cuisine (and belly dancers) to the Loop

Comments (0) By Ian Froeb Wednesday, Aug 5 2009

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Everyone — other diners, servers, this reviewer — will tell you to order knafeh for dessert. A colleague described it as baklava meets cheesecake, which is as strong a selling point as I can imagine. A limited selection of beer and wine is available, but you might prefer the lovely tea, served hot or iced and kissed with mint. Ranoush offers hookahs, but diners worried about smoke should know that you can't use the water pipes inside until after the kitchen closes.

Service is attentive, though on a packed Friday evening it tended toward brusque: We barely had time to consider which appetizers we wanted before our server — the owner, in fact — asked us what our entrée choices were. The courses arrived very quickly, with the entrées appearing well before we had finished our meze. Still, the overall vibe is jovial, and once the music is turned up and the belly dancer appears, it's hard not to be won over by Ranoush's festive atmosphere.

Jennifer Silverberg

Some serious Syrian cuisine: Ranoush owner Aboud Alhamid.

Location Info

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Ranoush

6501 Delmar Blvd.
University City, MO 63130

Category: Restaurant > Middle Eastern

Region: Delmar/ The Loop

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Details

Go into the kitchen at Ranoush.

Ranoush
Foul moudames...$4.50
Fatayer...$5.25
Shish taouk...$14.50
Lamb shish kebab...$16.50

6501 Delmar Boulevard, University City; 314-726-6874.
Hours: Open daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Bar open till midnight Sun.-Thu., 1:30 a.m. Fri.-Sat.)

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The belly dancer does present an etiquette dilemma: To tip or not to tip? I remain stumped. Whatever you decide, remember: She has a sword, and she knows how to use it.