Meet Mediterranean Cuisine

Ghallaba who?!  Fattoush what?!  Looking at a Mediterranean menu can be intimidating at first, but don't be discouraged!  The food is delicious and once you know your lingo, you'll be ordering like a pro in no time.  Important side note: the mediterranean diet focuses on healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables and has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease!  So get familiar with common terms on many of the menus and give it a taste (for your health!):

• Ghallaba - lebanese stew with veggies, garlic, olive oil, and spices (may contain meat and rice).
• Shish Tawook - a turkish or lebanese kebab that involves cubed/marinated white meat on skewers.
• Fattoush - romaine lettuce salad with an olive oil, lemon, & garlic dressing usually with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and toasted pita chips.
• Shawarma - named for the meat preparation (chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, goat, etc.).  The meat is placed on a spit and grilled (for as long as a day) and then served in shavings.
• Sajji - usually a whole roasted chicken, lamb, or beef marinated in salt.
• Kibbeh - usually raw ground red meat with minced onions, bulgur, olive oil, and spices. 
• Baba Ghanouj - cooked eggplant that has been mashed and mixed with olive oil and spices.  Served as a dip with pita.
• Kafta - ground meat (lamb, chicken, beef, etc.) mixed with various spices and sometimes rice, egg, etc. (depending on the recipe).  Usually shaped into a meatball.
• Falafel - deep fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas or fava beans (not your healthiest pick).

*Quick Tip: although shawarma is incredibly tasty, try choosing tawook instead.  The meat is only white, which means it contains less fat (lean protein).

The Downriver area has a growing amount of Mediterranean restaurants.  Some of them include Shish Garden, Alex's Kabob House, and Beirut Gardens.  Don't hesitate to ask your server if you have more questions on the menu - it's important to know what you're eating.  Give them a try and decide which one is your favorite!


Touch - Josh Abbott Band