The Flatbread at Man'oushe Express Is Worth the Drive to Lake City

Drive north on Lake City Way past the Mini dealership, Elliott Bay Brewery, and Grocery Outlet on the main retail strip, look left, and you'll find Goodies. The five-year-old Mediterranean market and produce stand supplies spices to restaurants across town, including Mamnoon, Cafe Munir, and Bistro Turkuaz. Walk to the back of the space to find Man'oushe Express, a window serving made-to-order mana'eesh -- pizza-sized Mediterranean flatbread topped with the likes of zaatar, ground lamb, kefir, bulgur, and mint.

Sara Billups

Prices start at $3.95 and top out at $5.95 for the flatbreads, which can be classified as gut-bustingly large -- and a steal. It costs another dollar to tack on a fresh cucumber, mint, olive, and tomato salad.

Goodies and Man'oushe are owned by Lebanese-born Jay Hosn, a gregarious, chatty guy who is genuinely excited about his menu. Hosn's father started Ali Baba, which he says was Seattle's first Lebanese restaurant, on Roy St. in 1971. His father passed the restaurant to Hosn's brother. While the original Lower Queen Anne outpost is closed, the family changed the name to Mediterranean Kitchen and now operates locations in Bellevue and Kirkland. Hosn's son runs the oven at Man'oushe Express.

Since Man'oushe has started to take off, Hosn decided to move the bulk of the market downstairs into 6,000-square-feet of storage and expand the flatbread counter into a full-fledged restaurant after the holidays. As of now, there's a couple of raised tabletops with stools for eating in, but after the move guests will be able to sit at tables filling the front of the space. He'll also push breakfast, since in Lebanon mana'eesh is a favorite morning meal when you put an egg on it.

Man'oushe Express inside Goodies Market, 13721 Lake City Way NE, Lake City, 206-362-2694, M-SA 9 a.m.-8 p.m., SU 9 a.m.-7 p.m.