Baaaaby!! Lama Mediterranean Cuisine restaurant at 1644 Research Forest Dr is a whole vibe! Have you eaten here in the past couple of years? (New owners, totally new restaurant). I can’t believe this gem is right here in The Woodlands!! The food is AH-MAZING yes, but the ambience was thebomb dotcom, with upscale decor, gorgeous greenery everywhere, vibrant colors, and modern lighting. The heated outdoor patio garden nestled amongst plants and pretty lights is charming and cozy! 
We almost turned down the complimentary hot tea. I’m so glad we didn’t. Having this lovely tea arrangement delivered to our table was my favorite thing ever! (I’m a sucker for the small details, and this restaurant is full of extravagant surprises.)
Service last night was second to none. The owner, Ali, is charismatic and welcoming and he came over to our table to chat before we left, and he treated my teens and I like family! He even packed us some complimentary samples of some of the foods from their Persian menu (yes, they have Persian food too), which my husband promptly devoured as soon as we got home.
Speaking of family, Lama is family friendly with a small area with books and a couple of toys to keep little ones content, plus kids eat free on Wednesdays (ages 10 and under, with adult purchase.). We ordered gyros, chicken & beef shawarma, and the most delicious baklava ever! No exaggeration. Baklava has never been on my top 10 list of enjoyable desserts. I wanted my girls to taste it, but I warned them ahead of time they wouldn’t be super impressed. Goodness, I have never been so wrong! (First time for everything). I would go for Lama’s baklava over my tried and true dessert favorites ANY day of the week. It was so decadent! We tried all 3 offerings, and my fave was the one with pistachios.
I can’t decide if next time I’ll come on Thursday (BOGO half off entrees) or Friday (belly dancing). I’ll likely need reservations to come on the weekends, because apparently this place is really popular after the workweek has come to an end.
These photos don’t do the place Justice, as I wasn't coming in to do a review (and I ended up having to use my teen's phone to take photos), but I had to share something. Check out more on the Lama Facebook or Instagram pages. And go ahead and drop in this week and see what all my excitement is about. You won't be disappointed!
