Robert C.
Yelp
Came here on Thursday at 4:55pm before the atmospheric rain bomb came through.
Parked in the parking lot across Washington street with the AMC theater on the far opposite side. Additional parking garage one block away next to Target, and two blocks away at the parking garage behind AMC theater/Whole foods.
Place was empty, so they gave us a prime window seat in the auxiliary room, far away from the cold breezy entrance. Great ambiance with window views of Christmas decorations on Murphy Street. Overhead lamps of Middle Eastern heritage.
Six pieces of complimentary delicious heated white bread with dipping oil. Ate those in no time, but declined offer of more bread.
We order at 5:10 pm and our dishes come at 5:30pm
Wife's $25.75 m'shakaleh comes with layers of sliced almonds, cooked mushroom, tomatoes, eggplant, cauliflower, tomato in an incredibly tasty sweet yogurt sauce.
I ordered the $37.75 combo kebab with three kebabs in order of size: chicken the largest, lamb and kufta being the smallest . The largest of the kebabs was the 9" white breast chicken with almost no flavor, except for combining the spicy flavorful yogurt sauce from the M'shakaleh, which made an average dish outstanding.
Loved the kufta which had minced lamb and beef with lots of onions, but only about 4' long The 7" lamb shank was OK, but hardly worth the $37.75, as on the bland side, until I mixed it with the yogurt sauce. Gave the medium rare center cuts to my wife. Given a choice, I would take beef kabobs next time.
Dish came with fried brussel sprouts, but would have preferred cauliflower, tomato, and/or broccoli.
We had our choice of basmati rice, freekeh, spiced potatoes, seasonal vegetables -we both choose freekeh, a wheat rice.
Haven't been here since 2018. The m'shakaleh was $21 in 2018, and the combo kebab was $26 in 2018, now $37.75, up 50%! Cost us over $80 with tax and tip for two main entrees, one of which was vegetarian, without salad, appetizer, dessert, alcohol nor soft drinks.
When we left at 6pm it was standing room only, with every seat in the two chamber restaurant taken. Only other packed restaurant on Murphy was Meyhouse Turkish restaurant across the street, with similar high prices, and even more ambiance.