Disappointment might not be the word I’d choose. Surprised, maybe. No, confused is better. Regardless, I guess it all comes to unreasonable expectations – because that’s exactly what I had. We’d been passing Ala Kefak several times on our gastronomic odyssey and on every occasion, I’d say, “Next time we have to eat here.” And that kind of build-up is unhealthy.

In any case, I selected “Mandi” with lamb, a Yemenite dish of traditional origins, composed chiefly of meat and rice, imbued with a mysterious medley of spices. To prepare Mandi in the most devout manner, you cook it in an underground pit, and I wondered whether Herkulesgatan could offer such subterranean grandeur. But even if my Mandi deviated from its ancestral form (or was prepared elsewhere), the problem was hardly in the dish. It was me.

Firstly, the rice presented itself as a work of art. Stunningly colorful and a veritable kaleidoscope of flavors, sprinkled with crisp almonds and a bountiful serving of lamb. Accompanying it was a delectable, tangy, tomato-based sauce, beckoning me to pour it on the rice and meat. In theory, it should have been perfect. Visually, it was striking. Yet, Mandi and I didn’t get along – and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why. My eating buddy’s chicken kebab was extraordinary, and the falafel at the adjacent table appeared impeccable.

So – in this disquieting affair, where did I go wrong?

I’ll chalk this up as a mystery and am therefore hesitant to rate Ala Kefak. This is the type of food I usually adore, and I refuse to believe I encountered a spice blend that I couldn’t figure out or that it simply wasn’t good. Or that people might have different tastes. Another peculiar incident was the 30 SEK (each) discount we received on the menu price.

• Name and address: Ala Kefak; Arabic for, roughly, “great” or “awesome.” There are numerous varieties of Arabic (which has roughly 370 million native speakers), so the spelling and meaning of Ala Kefak differ somewhat; a satisfying linguistic analysis is, however, out of scope for this blog.
• Cuisine: Eclectic Arabic. They also offer “crispy baguette” and a “fajitas plate”.
• Distance from Zenseact: a 15-minute walk
• Price: 110 sek, including a bottle of water
• Rating:  N/A

We’ll have to come back with another review of Ala Kefak. We must get to the bottom of this. But there are new places to discover. We’ll return shortly with another review. In the meantime, heed the great Robert Frost’s advice and choose the road less traveled – a wise gastronomic approach and an outstanding professional mantra for every Zenseactian.