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| - I have loved Pita Jungle for years. I've spent countless hours attempting to duplicate their Shawarma chicken, lemon dressing and babaganoush at home. I've never quite succeeded and that's always sent me going back because boy do I LOVE these flavors.
This is the first time I've ever gone to a Pita Jungle and thought to myself "this is a restaurant in decline." To be fair it's my first visit to the Roosevelt location - but then again, the hallmark of a good restaurant is consistency. The location is, I think, evidence that Pita Jungle is over-extending itself. Lavish in size and appurtenances, it has that undeniable vibe that says clearly "THIS AIN'T CHEAP!" This is in direct contradiction to the previous locations I have visited (Indian School and Apache) which have always tended toward the spartan.
That expense appears to be taking its toll. The "large" baba - as delicious as ever - is served stingily, spread out over the plate but less in volume than I've been served before when I ordered a small. It is served studiously with one (1) each: tomato wedge, cucumber slice, kalamata olive. The small Greek salad is nearly half the portion I have gotten at the other locations. I always ordered small because it was more than enough to feed me and large was out of the question. Here it resembles a side salad at Dennys.
All of this smacks of cost savings at the expense of portions and man, that is my definition of a restaurant that is in trouble. Pita Jungle, I love you, But I spent $33 for two people drinking water at lunch only to wish that instead I'd spent my money manufacturing my own inferior versions at home because I walked away hungry. No amount of impressive decor can make up for this. I have been pleased by your success, but now you're over-reaching. I hope it doesn't kill you.
Edit: I upped this to three stars because I kind of felt guilty. At the end of the day the food is still just as wonderful as it always has been, but the portions were weak and I figured two stars was a bit extreme.
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