Pamela M.
Yelp
I like that this restaurant originated in Birmingham. This is from www.al.com: "Keith Richards opened the original Mediterranean-themed Taziki's in Birmingham in 1998. Since then, the restaurant chain has expanded to include 69 locations across 16 states."
Since Mom lives right behind this strip mall (so it's very convenient!) we've eaten here twice and I think I came by myself once. Anyway, on to the eats.
I usually get the 3 salad plate with chick salad, pasta salad, and cuke salad. It is good. The chick salad is a little bland, and it's ~ 9.00 for the dish which doesn't fill you up. It comes with an odd thing, at least to me -- pita crisps with cinnamon. Dessert? And it comes w/ balsamic vinaigrette when each salad is already dressed. I think it's overpriced for what you get (diced tomatoes, chunked cucumber, feta, pasta, scoop of chick salad).
We got the Tuesday special which is a pork tenderloin with aioli and romaine on whatever that big bun is called, brioche? The pork had really good flavor and is the most flavorful dish I've had at a Taziki's. Mom enjoyed it. I asked for the aioli on the side and instead got extra aioli AND aioli on the sandwich. No big deal.
They have beer specials and wine specials but they don't really advertise them well. They have the ubiquitous (small) chalk board by two wine bottles that reads, "half price wine" and a similar chalk board by some beers. So, after getting a stingy pour on a $7 pinot grigio, I asked about the wine special and the Mgr, said it applies to the two bottles (chard and cabernet) sitting by said chalk board. So, my second glass was ~ 3.50 and was a much better pour.
We sat on the patio which faces the dunkin donuts drive thru, so the view is not great and the plants needed attention. They grow fresh rosemary on the patio which is nice and healthy but whatever is trying to grow in the hanging planters (carnations maybe?) were dead.
The only thing I'm not fond of is the checking out experience. This is a restaurant where you seat yourself, place your order at a counter, get your own utensils, fill your own drinks, refill your own drinks, yet they flash that tip screen in your face when you swipe to pay. I worked in the food/bev business for years and have a guilty complex if I don't tip, but seriously, a tip jar would be more appropriate. All the cashier does is drop the food off at your table. With tip and the $7 wine our dinner was ~ 32.00.