Jon Christensen, For The Columbus Dispatch
| The Columbus Dispatch
Opened as a casual restaurant, Mazah Mediterranean Eatery has recently been spiffed up with tablecloths; full table-side service for lunch and dinner; a full wine, beer and liquor license; and the ability to take reservations.
The menu is still full of bargains, such as the $10 lunch specials that pair a bowl of soup with a filling sampler plate of five items (hummus, baba ghanoush, three-bean salad, Mediterranean potato salad and falafel).
The hummus, which can also be ordered a la carte for $5.95 a pound, is soundly made, with a balance of chickpeas, tahini, garlic and lemon juice.
The baba ghanoush ($6.95 a pound) has good roasted eggplant and fresh garlic notes. The three-bean salad ($7.95) features a mix of large white beans, red beans and black beans that are seasoned with onion, garlic and olive oil, while the Mediterranean potato salad ($5.95 a pound) avoids mayonnaise in favor of a vinaigrette made with real olive oil.
Mazah’s falafel (also available as an appetizer for $4.95) are large, round and crisp, and fully seasoned.
The Turkish red lentil soup ($2.95) is a skillful combination of red lentils with aromatic carrots and onions. It’s thick and, with creamed and whole lentils, incorporates a variety of textures.
Among entrees, the kefta kebab ($10.95, including a choice of two side dishes) is one of the boldest in town, with cumin, coriander, garlic and onion providing seasoning punch. The kebabs are now char-grilled instead of baked, which provides even more flavor.
The dessert lineup has an important new entry. Kenafi ($5.95) is a large confection made with shredded wheat mixed with cow’s-milk cheese from Cyprus and honey and pistachios, and cooked gently on a flat grill.
The heat melts the cheese into the shredded wheat, making an excellent cold-weather dessert that begs to be accompanied by Turkish coffee.
The most interesting offering on the new small wine lineup is a Galil Israeli cabernet sauvignon from Barkan Wine Cellars ($7 a glass), which is soundly structured, with developed cabernet aromas and a firm, balanced finish. As an accompaniment to the Mazah menu, it’s excellent.
jac@iwaynet.net
Mazah Mediterranean
Eatery
1439 GRANDVIEW AVE.
Contact: 614-488-3633,
www.mazah
-eatery.com
Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and
5 to 9 p.m. Mondays through
Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to
9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Bottom line: An upgraded
Mediterranean place retains
good food at good prices.
Dining and Cooking