'Mamnoon' Rocks Raskin; The Stranger Mocks 'The Rock'

For the naysayers who think Hanna Raskin never has anything nice to say about a restaurant, Exhibit A: her recent experience at Mamnoon. Seattle Weekly's food critic adored the upscale Lebanese-Syrian restaurant across from Melrose Market:

It's worth noting that upscale Lebanese restaurants in Seattle are graded on a pretty significant curve. Until Mamnoon opened, Cafe Munir was the only local source for meticulously made lebneh and tabbouleh.

...if you're going out with a group or craving more vivid flavors, Mamnoon's the better restaurant.

Not only did the food "wow" Raskin, the top-notch hospitality did, too.

The Stranger was not so warmed by the hospitality they received at The Rock—a Tacoma-born-turned-chain pizzeria with dozens of locations across several states. Upon arriving at the lower Queen Anne restaurant:

...the waiters greet you by saying something like "How you dudes doin'? I'm gonna be your buddy for the next hour or so." It's like all the restaurants in every movie about working in a crappy restaurant rolled into one.

And it only gets worse from there. If it wasn't for the broccoli optional pizza topping, not sure this review would have ever been written.

· All Week in Reviews [~ESEA~]
· Mamnoon's Heavenly Hospitality [Seattle Weekly]
· A Guilty Pleasure, Heavy on the Guilt [The Stranger]
· Mamnoon [Official Site]
· The Rock Wood Fired Pizza & Spirits [Official Site]

[Photo: The Rock/The Stranger]