About Andy's

• Originally opening as a deli in the late '90s before becoming a restaurant, Andy's is the creation of brothers Majed and "Big Andy" Hajjar, natives of Zahle, Lebanon. Located in a quaint deli-style storefront, Andy's manages to pack a lot of character into a compact but cozy amount of space, plus an enclosed, heated patio suitable for both winter and summertime dining. A flat-screen TV visible from everywhere but the patio is a nice diversion for the eyes.
• Delving into the restaurant's true character, however, requires only a simple look around at the various Mediterranean-themed ations, art and images adding to Andy's laid-back yet sophisticated atmosphere. Enhancing that atmosphere is Andy's collection of bottles of wine directly across from the bar, right next to its unique collection of hookahs (smoking pipes used for enjoying various flavored tobaccos after your meal). Andy's also hosts a weekly ladies' night with live music and has belly dancers on weekends, so you might get a meal and a show if you're lucky.
• (KA)BOB YOUR HEAD
• For all the restaurant's character, one bite of any of the various dishes at Andy's makes it easy to see why the restaurant has become a Walnut Hills mainstay in a relatively short time.
• When I met a friend at the restaurant for lunch on a rainy Thursday afternoon, the friendly service we received and food we enjoyed proved to be a ray of light on an otherwise overcast day.
• A number of traditional Mediterranean appetizers are available for consumption, including labneh (a Lebanese yogurt spread with garlic, $5), soup and vegetarian grape leaves ($5).
• Looking for something we both thought we might enjoy, my friend and I agreed to sample the hummus with tahini (a mashed chickpea paste with garlic, $5). The dish, which tasted like a sweet-and-sour mustard, proved itself to be a fair opening act for our main course.
• We were smart enough to leave room for our entrees - my friend had a Richie Rich pita wrap ($6) of charbroiled chicken mixed with lettuce, tomato, pickle, garlic and mayonnaise, which was more than she could handle.
• Having eaten Andy's shish tawook (two skewers of marinated and charbroiled chicken with a distinct pink color, $8) several times before, I opted to try a combo meal with both tawook and shish kafta (chopped steak on a kabob with onions and parsley, $14), and fries instead of rice ($2 extra).
• Both our meals were delicious and filling, and our money was well spent. And when it comes to dining out, that's really all you can ask for.

TABARI MCCOY | CIN WEEKLY