Kafta (also spelled kefta, kifta, kofta, koufta, and kufta, depending on where you found it) is the Middle Eastern version (and, probably, ancestor) of the meatball and the hamburger. It's usually shaped like a sausage, made both of beef and lamb, and includes onions, parsley, and sometimes cracked wheat in the mix. It's cooked by first being run up on a metal skewer, than seared on a hot grill. It comes out with hummus and a salad, and it's one of the best dishes at Babylon. Get the freshly-baked Najah bread and make a sandwich of it.
Babylon Cafe. Riverbend: 7724 Maple. 504-314-0010.
This dish is ranked #360 in NOMenu's list of the 500 best dishes in New Orleans restaurants. The entire list is here.
