Tender Lamb and Sweet Kunafa: Discovering Yemeni Cuisine

Written by Bruna Ugá.

   One of my favorite things about living in the Netherlands is the variety of restaurants. After four years, I have tried different cuisines: Greek, Ethiopian, Indian, Indonesian, Dutch (of course!) and a few more.

Recently, another cuisine has been added to this list: Yemeni cuisine.

Yemeni Mandi Restaurant

    Yemen is a country in West Asia, bordering Saudi Arabia and Oman. The restaurant “Yemeni Mandi” was founded two years ago in Eindhoven. On their website they declare to be “the first and only Yemeni restaurant in both Eindhoven and in the Noord-Brabant province”.

Inside the restaurant. Photo by Bruna Ugá, 2026.

Well-cooked meat and a flavorful meal 

    After reading a few reviews online, I went to the place with one dish in mind: the Madfoon Lamb. It consists of lamb cooked in aluminum foil, served with mixed rice and Sahwak. Just like I imagined, the meat was tender and flavorful, with no need for a knife to cut it into pieces. The Sahwak is similar to a spicy salsa and adds a nice flavor to the food.

Madfoon Lamb and Molawah. Photo by Bruna Ugá. 2026.

    We also ordered the Fahsa Beef, which is shredded meat marinated in Yemeni spices and cooked in a clay pot. It comes boiling hot to the table (be careful!). The meat was also tender and combined well with both the rice and a third plate, the Molawah.

Fahsa Beef. Photo by Bruna Ugá. 2026.

    The Molawah is basically a big piece of bread. Even though it is simple, we were surprised by it: its texture is similar to a pastry which gives it a nice crunch. I could taste oil, but it wasn’t dripping in it. It was tasty without feeling heavy. My gluttonous self could easily eat one more of these. But it wasn’t necessary – the dishes were satisfying enough for two people (my husband and me).

Kunafa: cheesy sweetness

    To finish the meal on a high note, we ordered Kunafa as dessert. It’s a pastry layered with cheese and soaked in syrup. Yes, it tastes as good as it sounds. The combination of cheese and sweetness is always a win for me. We had one with a pistachio topping and there are more flavor options: cream, Nutella and lotus.

Kunafa Pistachio. Photo by Bruna Ugá. 2026.

    The combination of delicious food, beautiful themed decoration, and friendly service made for an excellent experience. I’m glad the Yemeni cuisine has such good representation in the North Brabant.

Prices and Where to find

Madfoon Lamb: €22,99 | Fahsa Beef: 20,99 | Pistachios Kunafa: 11,99

Address: Yemeni Mandi is located near the Dommel River at Stratumsedijk 1A, 5611 EZ Eindhoven.

Photo by Bruna Ugá. 2026.

Me, enjoying the restaurant. 2026.