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We've been hearing about this place and finally made it there today for lunch. It's been in business for two years and when we walked in today, it was empty. That can't be good.
There are about nine tables set in a pleasant atmosphere and six chairs lined up against a street-facing window.
We walked in and were greeted with "to go or here?" Not the most welcoming greeting by our server. We seated ourselves and perused the 6-page menu. Appetizers & salads, two pages of entrees, beverages-smoothies-desserts, an ala carte and kids page, and a lunch menu. We had to start with a few appetizers ~ Samosas and Falafel. Our server, "is that all?"
The samosas were served with delicious tzatziki sauce and the falafel arrived draped in tahini and parsley. This was all made to order and we waited for it, but it was worth the wait. We next ordered from the entree menu, Gyro and Kafta. Each entree comes promised with salad, rice, hummus, fresh pita bread, and optionally served as a wrap or plated. We took plated. And we need to talk about the salad first.
We'd like to eat this everyday, seriously. There's a lemony dressing (house recipe) that tops off radishes, parsley, tomatoes, onions, lentils, pita chips made on the premises, and pomegranate seeds. The salad is alive with flavor and texture and is altogether amazing. The Gyro then arrived.
Hummus, rice and gyro were beautifully presented. As we are waiting for the Kafta, the owner and/or chef stepped out to ask whether I'd like tzatziki or garlic sauce (he whispers 'garlic'). How could we not take the garlic :-). He then notices our notes and camera. "Are you food critics?" Well, we do have a blog. "Why didn't you tell me? I would have taken good care of you." No. That's not how we like to review restaurants. And when the Kafta finally came out he accompanied it, chatting up the food, and due to his hovering we neglected to get a food photo, until the leftovers arrived at home :-)
There are 16 spices in the rice, according to our chef, and the garlic sauce and the rest of the food was well prepared and fresh. The garlic sauce was a great recommendation so don't miss it. We asked about the lack of customers and our guy said it's always like this because no one knows about them, which is sad because the food is wonderful. It's made as it is ordered, table for table. Pita bread is brought in from Detroit and was promised with the Kafta entree but never arrived so we can't comment on that other than we didn't get it.
Ideas for improvement? Train your servers to be more welcoming and customer savvy. Add building signage and update the tacky sandwich board sign. Clean the one bathroom customers use. Avoid loud conversations between the server and chef while customers are waiting for food, and don't make customers listen to your phones ring as well as to your subsequent conversations. And maybe change the soundtrack to a consistent mideastern vibe rather than a random jazz/pop thing.
Online reviews complain about the prices but there is a lunch menu available with reduced costs. We hope he stays in business and maybe he does well enough with take-outs and catering to stay alive.
The smoothies were recommended to us by the chef as being all natural with no added sugars, etc., so we took two to go. Delicious! Check out this place, at least for the falafel, hummus, garlic sauce, and the salad! They have local delivery service and you can find them on facebook and at www.raadsgr.com
Sad Update 2/18/16 ~ we drove by earlier this week and the restaurant is closed and the building vacant.
This is a sweet, little setting in which to enjoy mid-eastern fare. It’s casual space and holds about 11 tables. The take-out window was busier than the dining room when we visited.
Our server promptly brought us menus but didn’t take beverage orders and didn’t bring us water until we requested it when she returned a while later. Other than that initial bump, the service was perfect, attentive without being over-whelming, and well-timed dishes.
Beginning with the falafel appetizer, we enjoyed the three deep-fried fava bean patties served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and tahini.
Fast upon this were our salads, fatoush and lebanese. Both were delicious, fresh, and lovely creations, and although there was too much of it, we ended up preferring the lemon vinaigrette dressing on the lebanese salad. The ingredients for the “zestier” fatoush dressing would not be revealed (but you can find their hummus recipe on their website).
We both chose pita sandwiches for our entrees: grilled lamb (marinated lightly in red wine with hommous - spelled differently in various places on their website so pick your spelling :), tomato and onion; and shawarma (thin slices of beef marinated in lebanese spices) with tahini, tomato, and onion. Visually identical, both sandwiches took a few bites to reach the onion and tomato but were excellent combinations of flavors. And don't miss the home-made, pickled turnip served on the side!
A woman who appeared to be an owner was very familiar and friendly with customers and spent a bit of time in the dining room. She greeted the two middle-schoolers seated next to us by name, and later we had the pleasure of helping them figure out what to tip the server, after they had an awkward moment with her. This friendly place is welcoming, offers freshly-prepared food, and is worthy of your business.
Find more information about the background of the restaurant and view the menu at: http://www.ostaslebanese.com
Now a member of the Gilmore Collection, part of this building once belonged to the Ramona Amusement Park (1897-1955). Historic pictures line the restaurant hallway, and as a nod to Mr. Rose’s popcorn stand that served customers until the 1980s, the current Rose’s ends your meal with a small cup of caramel corn.
Located on Reed’s Lake, the main dining area is quaint and a bit rustic; the cozy, heated patio provides year-round seating; and the deck offers the best view of all. Not quite warm enough today for the deck, with no heat lamps running, we opted for the patio, which was a lovely setting on this sunny day.
The menu is reasonably sized and ranges from sandwiches and soup, to pizza and pasta. We bypassed it, however, and selected from the specials, beginning with hummus trio. Fresh vegetables and pita bread chips came along with the trio: edamame, black bean, and roasted pepper. Each flavor was unique and distinctive, with the roasted pepper being our favorite. We didn’t leave much on the plate.
A steak burger, ordered medium-rare, came precisely as ordered. It was deliciously juicy and topped with bacon, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onions. Also listed but barely detectable was orange-jalapeno jam. A bit more of it would have gone a long way to make the burger more remarkable.
From the small plate specials, the described pan-seared diver scallops were irresistible. Being diver scallops, they were sure to be fresh(er), and what a treat they were. A peanut, cilantro, ginger vinaigrette accompanied the scallops along with roasted vegetables; spicy, fried wakame topped off this beautiful presentation. The dish is highly recommended while the scallops are available.
Although the hostess was unfriendly and almost rude, our server was perfect: prompt, efficient, and friendly. This is a very popular place, particularly in the summer time, so plan your visit accordingly and expect a wait time during prime dining hours. Or take a late lunch and walk right in. Either way, you’ll appreciate the view, and the history, of this East Grand Rapids landmark, and you just may enjoy the food as well.
Find them on facebook and at www.gilmorecollection.com
