Newer Mediterranean spot in Bronzeville (737 E 47th St). This is the old Uncle Remus BBQ location and it looks VERY different inside – they did a beautiful job renovating the space.
We did the tri-mixed shish kebab platter (beef, chicken, lamb), the hummus combo plate, and the fennel citrus salad.
Overall, we loved the food. Meats were incredibly high quality and flavorful. Even the large chunks of chicken I was worried about being dry were juicy. Rice and pita were pretty standard; no complaints. Sides were also incredibly fresh and flavorful. My favorite was the fresh eggplant salad. I was having trouble deciding between the baba ganoush and that, and I’m so glad I went with it – fresh olive oil, fresh chunks of veg, nice touch of acid. Tabouleh was similarly fresh and delightful. Potato salad was also a tasty and unique take.
Hummuses were all packed full of flavor.
Housemade garlic sauce was to die for.
Fennel citrus salad was also very good. Tortello has a fennel, celery, and orange salad that I wanted to like this as much as, but that’s an unfair comparison (Tortello’s is in my top 5 salads ever). I think my only criticism here is that I wish the oranges and fennel were cut up in smaller pieces, which would make it easier to get perfect bites of everything.
Unfortunately my only real issue was with the falafel and zucchini fritter. Both suffered from being too large to fry nicely while cooking the inside enough. The fritter was basically raw in the center. They’re brand new, so I’m sure they’ll fix this.
I also have to say the service is slower than you’d expect for it looking fast-casual and having so much of the fresh sides up front. This is because they do everything else to order. That makes a difference in quality – you can taste it – but don’t expect to be in and out in 5 minutes with your four. Order ahead or plan to stay awhile.
In any case, excited to have a new Mediterranean spot on the south side with quality worth talking about. This is the kind of place I can easily see myself picking up easy lunches or dinners from and just being happy/feeling good about eating it.
by alexjewellalex
Dining and Cooking