When was the last time you said, “Hey, let’s go to the mall”? It may have been a long time, and in many ways, Sterling’s Dulles Town Center shows it. However, recent openings in the food court include Middle Eastern-inspired café, Shotted, and New Zealand-born ice cream purveyor, Jamun are breathing new life into the mall. And now, so new that it’s not yet on the Dulles Town Center website, comes Sultana, slotted directly between Taco Bell and Charley’s Philly Steaks.
“Habibi! Welcome to Sultana!” the staffers shout to passersby. Think of it as the Egyptian equivalent of “Welcome to Moe’s!” But this greeting comes with far more gusto — and stopping reveals far more compelling victuals.
Sultana’s Meats and Sweets
My local Egyptian favorites, including King of Koshary and Fava Pot, have me trained like a Pavlovian canine to salivate with thoughts of koshary dancing in my brain at the very suggestion of Egyptian food. But as of yet, there’s none of the starchy vegan dish on the menu. Instead, the team focuses on two of my other most beloved categories: meats and sweets.
Long-marinated chicken and skinny, house-stuffed lamb-and-beef sausages are the main attractions, searing over the flames of a grill that’s visible to guests. They’re available rolled into pita wraps or served over rice with fresh salads. I tried one of each.
The sausage wrap rings up at $16.99, which gave me pause until I saw it in all of its heft. Imagine enough sausage to merit that price tag, and you’ve got an idea. Beautifully charred, the spiced meat is enhanced with cucumber pickles and garlicky housemade sauce that dripped all over the table.
The quarter chicken, featuring a thigh, flavorsome yellow rice, Greek salad, and a deep pool of tzatziki, is $11.99. The portion was as much bone and connective tissue as meat, but I eagerly picked off every bit of deeply marinated, grill-kissed flesh.
I’m most likely to return for dessert. Trendy Dubai chocolate finds its way into crêpe form with house-crafted chocolate and pistachio sauces served over a folded pancake that’s filled with shredded kataifi pastry. Kataifi is also part of the kunafa mango with whipped cream, a most refreshing parfait that also makes use of the creamy pistachio sauce.
Sultana gives me a fresh reason to say, “Hey, let’s go to the mall.” And with more restaurants opening within, there’s still a chance that the in-person shopping experience could bounce back.
Feature image by Alice Levitt
