FOOD
FOODIE
Mezza Mediterranean Grille
Esther Allweiss Ingber
D
R O M O N A KEVE2 A
COLLECTION
HEADPIECES
BRIDAL & EVENINGWEAR
ACCESSORIES
TRUNK SHOW
MAY 2Ro THROUGH 4TH, 2013
708 N. OLD WOODWARD AVE
I
MAY
I
TRUNK SHOW
9TH THROUGH 11TH, 2013
I
BIRMINGHAM MI 480091248.723.43001 ROMASPOSA.COM
Discovered in
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33700 Woociwarci Ave. • between 1+ Mile & Lincoln • Birmingham
248 -644-8565
38 May 2013 I
RED Mtn
aba ghannouj, an appetizer I
sampled recently at the new
(since March) Mezza Mediterra-
nean Grille in Southfield, completely
lived up to the restaurant group's
descriptive bywords:"Healthy. Fresh.
Delicious!'
I've never enjoyed a better
rendition of the smoky chargrilled
eggplant dip made with tahini,
lemon juice and garlic. It's available
a la carte or as part of the Mezza
Starter, a trio of appetizers I recom-
mend that includes wonderfully
creamy hummus, a blend of chick-
peas, tahini, lemon juice and hint
of garlic, and tabbouli, a mixture of
fresh parsley, tomatoes, scallions
and cracked wheat
tossed with a house-
made olive oil and
herb dressing.
Accompanied by
a basket of hot pita
pockets from the
onsite stone-hearth
wall oven and its
irresistible zatar — a
dipping mixture of olive oil, herbs
and sesame seeds —there's no bet-
ter introduction to Middle Eastern
cuisine. You and a companion could
share the bread and appetizer plate,
then order soup and call it a very
fine meal.
But wait, there's more! A lot more.
Mezza's complete menu of
Lebanese-style food and raw juices,
smoothies and elixirs helped make
a customer favorite of the spacious,
original West Bloomfield location.
It opened several years ago at 4189
Orchard Lake Road at Pontiac Trail.
Appealing to all tastes, Mezza also
offers selections in the categories
of pizza, pasta, stir-fries, seafood
and "Mama's home cooking7 which
lists stuffed cabbage and (Tuesdays
only) lamb shank.
Realizing they were on to some-
thing, husband-and-wife owners
Samir and Louann "Manna Lou"Saleh
opened more Mezza brand restau-
rants.
The lovely spot I visited on South-
field Road, south of 13 Mile, is in
the same retail strip as Bake Station.
Peter Said is the manager. Mezza's
designer/contractor Mark Minier
gave the 55-seat room an upscale
decor featuring natural materials
like limestone, granite and glass,
and bringing in the corporate logo's
five spice colors. Strikingly lovely are
the small, handmade glass lamps
from Turkey.
When it comes to Mezza's most
popular entrees, Samir makes it
simple: "If you like beef, our beef
kebab is to die for. If you're a chicken
lover, our chicken kebab is to die for.
And our lamb chops are also to die
for
Don't die — order one of them for
lunch or dinner!
Other dishes recommended here
are deboned chicken and fattoush
(a type of salad) with grilled chicken.
The chicken is uniformly juicy and
flavorful. Portions are generous here
and, by the way, the servers are ef-
ficient and friendly.
The same array of soups is offered
daily. They are crushed or whole
lentil, perennial favorites in Middle
Eastern cuisine, but
also tomato basil and
lamb vegetable. I
tried the latter, a deli-
cious, hearty stew
of potatoes, peas,
carrots and other
vegetables with lean
lamb chunks.
Mezza Mediter-
ranean Grille also has a location
at 1001 Welch at Pontiac Trail in
Commerce Township, and a Mezza
Express & Bakery (carryout) at 1413
N. Adams in Rochester Hills. A fifth
Mezza, offering beer and wine, will
open in May at the shopping desti-
nation called the Village of Roches-
ter Hills, Walton at Adams. Coming
in September or October will be the
largest Mezza restaurant to date,
inside the new Ernst &Young head-
quarters in Downtown Detroit.
Would the Salehs ever expand
Mezza beyond the local market?
Samir, a Lebanese-American and
former chief area director of the Max
& Erma restaurant chain in Detroit
and Toledo, said, "Never say no to
an opportunity' He and Louann,
originally from Canada but"all Leba-
nese," are in their mid-40s now and
presumably possess enough energy
along with ambition to keep grow-
ing their brand.
Open daily, Mezza's business
includes catering for every occasion.
With most of its dishes suitable for
a vegan diet, Samir counts Temple
Israel in West Bloomfield as a regular
and satisfied customer. RT
MEZZA MEDITERRANEAN
GRILLE
30720 Southfield Road
Southfield, MI 48076
$$ 1/2 out of $$$$$
(248) 203-5777
www.mezzagrille.com
www.redthreadmagazine.conn