THE CONCEPT
backally: It is perhaps a bit misleading to call Crescent Moon a bakery, because it functions pretty well as a restaurant (albeit a restaurant where you have to order and pick up your meal at a counter). But damn, do they know their way around a kitchen!
kbyoung83: Both times I've been there, it's been fairly packed, but not super crowded. Standard cafeteria-style decor, but with murals and rugs and paintings on the wall and a big flat-screen TV showing sports games.
jdholan: The restaurant area is simple, casual and open. There is Middle Eastern-type music playing in the background and painted murals in the dining room. The space is good for small conversation or chatter from larger groups.
THE ENTREES
backally: I ordered the excellent Chicken Tikka skewer ($5.99) on the side of a Pataan Plate ($9.99). I really enjoyed the beef kourma included on that plate, but was underwhelmed by the gyro meat/salad that accompanied it. The tzatziki sauce was watery the previous time I tried it, but this time it was much improved. The Spinach Plate is a decent option for those not digging on meat, but I'd never order it again because they do meat dishes way too well to screw around with a meatless dish. The Sultani Plate ($14.99) totally rules.
kbyoung83: I had the house pizza (football-shaped!), which comes with green peppers, Afghani-style beef (similar to gyro meat) and a tomato sauce that's got a little kick to it. Nice chewy crust, and for $9.99 it will feed two. The house salad has a nice lemony dressing and lots of olives.
jdholan: I had the Buz-Kashee Plate ($13.99), a wonderfully tender goat stew and tikka chicken with peppers. The goat was chewy, but not tough, and the chicken was juicy with a mild marinade. Both reheated nicely as leftovers. It came with spiced long-grain rice topped with raisins, carrots and slivered almonds, a couple pieces of pita and a deliciously light side salad -- a perfect palate cleanser, but it needed more pepper for my taste. A great mix-and-match of flavors.
WHAT ELSE?
backally: Their Sheer Chai drinks are really quite special. The Sheer Chai Smoothie ($2.99) just gets better as it melts and releases the flavors, and the hot Sheer Chai ($2.49/$2.99) makes me happy in ways I didn't know food could.
kbyoung83: I also recommend the Sheer Chai Smoothie, made with a house chai recipe with lots of cardamom ground up in the smoothie -- yum, if you like cardamom, which I do. Once they put a little chocolate sauce on top, which was really tasty; ask for it. They also have a nice selection of nuts and baked goods to take home.
