Mattydale, N.Y. — At a time when dining-out dollars don’t seem to go as far as they used to, a Mattydale newcomer is offering some relief.
Hayati Grill (Hayati is an Arabic term of endearment that translates to “my life”), which opened at 2810 Lemoyne Ave. in May, serves a Middle Eastern menu focused, as you might have surmised from its name, on grilled meats, the aroma of which tantalizes diners all the way to the parking lot.
While the regular platters and sandwiches I saw heading to the other tables looked sizeable, it’s the family platters that offer one of the most exceptional values I’ve encountered at a full-service restaurant in Central New York.
The platters are listed for four ($65) or eight ($125) diners, though I’d suspect that even four hungry adults would have leftovers. The “small” platter is 12 inches in diameter. It’s the same platter you might see used for a small sandwich platter or charcuterie tray, but instead it’s piled high with Basmati rice and topped with shaved chicken and beef shawarma, grilled lamb and chicken shish kababs, and grilled beef and chicken kefta kababs. It is garnished with tomatoes, jalapenos and quartered onions that are grilled until charred, and finished with a scattering of slivered red onions tossed in ground sumac…