Guests will find hot mini pancakes, baklava, knafeh, lokum, and delicious booza ice cream.
It’s not common at most American creameries, but I believe rose-flavored ice cream should know no borders. Historically, I’ve had to go to Persian restaurants or Indian scoop shops for my fix outside the house. But a new dessert spot imported from DC is feeding my mania with Levantine frozen treats.
Pasha Castle in Annandale just celebrated its grand opening. But lines are already forming in the cute two-story red house that holds it. Guests will find hot mini pancakes and Middle Eastern and Turkish treats such as baklava, knafeh and lokum (Turkish delight) on offer. The star of the show, however, is the booza.
One staffer I spoke to at the family-owned shop referred to booza as “Lebanese gelato,” but there’s more to it. Because the dessert is typically made with mastic (tree resin) instead of eggs, it has a natural elasticity that makes every bite slightly chewy as it melts on the palate…