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| - Nothing I could say in this review could possibly convey the amazing experience that we had here at Middle Eastern Bakery & Deli. This was THE BEST place at which I have eaten in all my visits to Phoenix (off and on annually over the last 10 years) and I will be back (multiple times) every time I visit from now on.
Why is it that the taste of the food is so often inversely proportionate to the fanciness of the restaurant, at least when it comes to ethnic restaurants? The fancier the decor in an ethnic restaurant, the blander the food.
Stated differently, what is it about the mystical siren's call of the hole in the wall ethnic restaurant? Does the chef assume that because his food is head and shoulders above the rest that he needn't waste money on decorations? Or is it simply that the mom & pop chef with his traditional recipes handed down from generation to generation will never be matched by the cookie cutter american culinary school education?
This restaurant is very unassumedly named The Middle Eastern Bakery and Deli, though it is also a restaurant and grocery store. It doesn't look like much from the outside, nor the inside, and would probably fly under most people's radar if it was not for word of mouth passed through Yelp. Can you see the diamond lurking under the layer of carbon? I sure can.
The proprietor, Isam (yes, we're on a first name basis now and you will be, too, by the end of your first visit), is quite a character guaranteed to put a smile on the face of even the WORST sourpuss. Before our first visit we called him by phone to make sure the restaurant would be open when we arrived and he was friendly and welcoming. When we finally arrived he welcomed us like old friends.
I ordered the grilled combo and my coworker ordered the Lebanese Chicken. Both plates came with a choice of Greek Salad of Tabbouli with a fresh warm pita and rice. I wasn't sure which to choose, so Isam guided me gently toward the Tabbouli which he makes FRESH 5 TIMES EVERY DAY. Yes, you can tell this man is incredibly gifted in the making of Tabbouli, which is a thing of beauty, colorfully decorated with red and green pepper rings, white couscous, tangy red tomato, crisp white onions, and ruby toned sliced beets over dark greens. It is beautiful, but tastes even better. I ordered a diet soda in spite of the prominently displayed Yelp tip recommending the lemonade ("Your life will change as you discover the super powers you've acquired from the lemonade.") as I'm not usually a big lemonade fan. My coworker ordered the lemonade and I ordered the birds nest baklava with glistening green pistachio pieces covering the top to eat while I waited for the food to arrive.
My coworker took one sip of the lemonade, which is made with honey and rose water - SHEER GENIUS - and couldn't stop talking about how amazing it was. I traded him half of my baklava for a taste and couldn't BELIEVE how amazing it was - TRULY LIFE CHANGING. Isam brought me a large cup of this elixir of the gods and made my entire day.
When our meals came I was thrilled with my perfectly seasoned kebabs with three kinds of meat - chicken, lamb, and spiced ground beef, all of them cooked perfectly and all of them delicious. The rice was not basmati, more like a pilaf, but was incredibly flavorful. Alex said his Lebanese Chicken was amazing, but refused to share any with me.
The owner brought us over a complimentary Turkish coffee, a lemonade, and a pistachio baklava - all amazing!!! Isam also gave us a lesson in appreciating coffee. He taught us how to sip it and about his secret ingredient (cardamom). He grinds his own cardamom fresh from the seeds, which cost $100 per pound and I guarantee you are totally worth the expense. He showed us both the seeds and the ground versions and let us smell them, pure heaven on Earth. Isam says that the cardamom works on your nervous system to relax you; I certainly felt relaxed when I left, but I think some of that might have to do with the owner's charm rather than the coffee. When we left, we stopped up at the counter to say goodbye to our host, because it just felt more like a family visit than a restaurant visit. You can just walk out of a restaurant, but you don't walk out on family without saying goodbye.
I made a return visit several days later and not only did Isam remember me, but he came out from behind the counter to give me a hug and asked where my friend was (I had just dropped my coworker off at the airport). I ordered the Lebanese Chicken and one of his heavenly lemonades. Isam once again brought me a Turkish Coffee (this stuff is addicting) and a baklava to enjoy with it. I enjoyed my second visit as much as my first; Isam gave me a menu and invited me to come back again during my visit. He even gave me his phone number and told me to call if I needed anything.
I will definitely be back!!
Relaxes you, works on your nervous syst
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