Ayla Mediterranean opened its doors to customers Sept. 26 inside the InterContinental Houston, a 4-star luxury hotel located near the Texas Medical Center and Museum District.
Meet the chef
The new concept is overseen by executive chef Ibrahim Alsharif, whose global culinary journey spans several Mediterranean and Middle Eastern destinations, including Dubai, Jordan and Kuwait, according to the restaurant's social media.
His most recent gig was at The Newbury, a historic 5-star luxury boutique hotel in Boston that offers several dining options such as Italian fare, classic cocktails and afternoon tea, per the hotel's website.
On the menu
Ayla Mediterranean will offer a breakfast, lunch and dinner menu with classic and Mediterranean-style dishes. Breakfast consists of omelettes, herbed labneh scrambled eggs, red velvet pancakes and challah bread French toast.
For lunch, guests can expect to see hot appetizers and mezze bites such as hummus and crispy Brussels sprouts, alongside a variety of soups, salads and entrees.
On the dinner menu, specialty dishes include:
Lamb Chops Royale: grilled lamb chops, herbs, garlic mint labneh, gratin potato, asparagus and baby carrots
Salt & Sea Branzino: pan-seared sea bass, celery puree, seasonal vegetables, saffron risotto and beurre blanc
Charcoal Beef Skewers: char-grilled beef skewers, olive oil, onion, tahini sauce, grilled vegetables and a side
