Moustache, the latest addition to Lambertville’s increasingly diverse restaurant scene, is a bit exotic and plenty refreshing.

By Scott Edwards

Cross the bridge into Lambertville, NJ, and when you arrive at the first light, you will find yourself at one of the most intriguing culinary cross-sections in or around Bucks County. Or, at least, that’s how I’ve considered my options lately when my stomach grumbles and I go in search of a low-frills but delicious dinner.

Turn left onto North Union Street and a block down you’ll find the very unassuming yet wildly appetizing French bistro Manon. (So unassuming that you may drive past it a couple of times before finding it. But my navigational skills are poor.)

Head the other way, on South Union, and you’ll find yourself face to face with the iconic Ota-ya, where the sushi is top grade and even on the busiest Saturday nights, there always seems to be a table available. Tucked along Klein Court, just across the neighboring parking lot, is Buho’s, a consistently authentic Mexican restaurant. Unfortunately, the two terms can be mutually exclusive more often than not.

But the jewel of the lot is also its newest addition. Moustache sits at the end of South Main Street, about two blocks down from Ota-ya. Upon setting foot inside the intimate space for the first time, it will dawn on you that it’s been a while since you’ve been in a Middle Eastern restaurant. And after your first overly-generous scoop of hummus, it will occur to you that it’s been even longer since you had Middle Eastern food this good.

The menu is brief and very much straightforward, but for those of us who continue to think of sushi as exotic, it is a departure from the norm. There are plenty of dishes, though, that will thrust you right back to your comfort zone. There’s the meat platter, for instance. You like meat, don’t you? You will love it here. The presentation is simple — large cuts of grilled beef and chicken and a pile of rice – but you’re not there to gawk at it. It’s all perfectly seasoned and impossibly moist.

There’s also plenty that you’re likely vaguely familiar with, such as hummus, gyros, falafels and spinach-and-cheese pie. I’ve dined at Moustache close to a dozen times since its opening last summer between lunch and dinner, and the hummus — a chickpea, tahini, lemon juice and oil blend — is a mainstay at my table. So creamy, my tongue has soured for store-bought brands.

With a closer look, you’ll also find an array of dishes that are actually a degree or two away from foods that likely constitute your daily diet. The selection of pitzas are Moustache’s spin on the personal pan pizza. Try the lahambajin pitza – lamb, tomato, onion and parsley on a pita crust. And ouzi resembles a chicken-pot pie.

The interior is minimal but relatively cozy, courtesy of the exposed brick, the dimly-lit lanterns that dangle from the ceiling and the hand-woven carpets that cover much of the wall space.

But Moustache’s most attractive quality is the ability to dine well and cheaply here. It’s BYOB (as are each of the aforementioned restaurants), which makes it more than possible for a couple to eat a three-course dinner and still pay a bill safely under $50.

Moustache, 77 South Union Street, Lambertville, NJ. Open 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily. 609-397-7777.