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| - Tucked into a strip mall adjacent to a grocery store and your regular assortment of salons and other small businesses, JC is a rather nondescript and unassuming middle eastern restaurant with talent in the kitchen and grill but badly in need of front-end management.
A step inside reveals a large bar which hides the kitchen and consumes major floor space. Tables and chairs are basic and spartan, with only about 7-8 tabletops. As others have mentioned, there is no designated space for to-go orders or a hostess/payment station. While clean, there is little of visual interest here.
The menu, however, is much more interesting and holds a host of standard middle eastern fare. Skewers, salads and all the sides you'd expect are here. Prices are largely in line with the local market, though a bit more economical. Lunch is treated no different from dinner, though you do have the options to make your wrap a combo with the addition of fries and a drink. Their iced tea has some mint flavoring, which is understated, but quite nice. Kudos for being willing to substitute hummus and pita here, upon my request.
Falafel (self-proclaimed the best in Charlotte) is truly moist and flavorful. Hummus is smooth and not overly salted. I liked it. I also like the picked veggies served on the side, but they would be more tasty in the wrap.
Service, though, has been wildly uneven during lunch times, driven largely by the amount of help on scene. The owner's wife is typically there serving and, while concerned, becomes quickly overwhelmed if she is the only help for both take-outs and the tables. When the cooks have to deliver their own dishes to the table, you know its bad. This is largely not problem during off times, but a full house is both a bain and a blessing, I suppose.
Still, a good middle eastern restaurant is not the most plentiful option in town, and it's good to have another here. Hopefully attention can be placed on the front of house so the kitchen can continue to show their talents as well.
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