Persian Teahouse & Mediterranean Cafe

This week I have been on the world tour for lunch time. Normally, I pack lunch for work (not by choice but more by necessicity). However, with the cold snap this week along with the laziness that build up in me we have been ignoring our lunch we packed in the past few days. And when we eat out, I love to eat in the ethnic food restaurant rather than typical chain restaurant. It just makes me feel a bit more like I'm on my little vacation.

I'm a very easy eater. If it doesn't taste so bad, I will probably eat it all. So I'm not a really good food critic.

First stop for this week is Papoulis Mediterranean Cafe. It's a good size, quick bite Greek cafe. The food is fabulous especially Gyro Beef & Lamb. The cucumber salad that comes with it is fresh and tasty. The deco is nicely done with a huge map of that part of the world on the wall. There is little corner with cook book, snack, cheese and other ingredients that you might find in a Mediterranean market there. Plus the price is very reasonable ranging from $3-9 depends on what you order and how big your appetite is that day. It's a quick escape to a little Greek in the middle of the South.

Our second stop of the week is Darvish Persian Teahouse. What a great place to try the authentic Persian food and take in the real atmosphere of the Persian Teahouse. The decoration puts you right in the Persian teahouse. Ok.. I have never been to one but a co-worker who came from there said it's pretty close. I just felt like I have stepped into another world away. Now, it doesn't mean that the deco will be the only thing that will impress you. The food is ... fabuuuuuuloussssss. I ate and ate till I felt the pain.

We went during lunch on the weekday and they had the buffer all-you-can-eat for $7.99. Great price considering what we had. I started off with Rice and Gourmet Sabzi (a blend of green herbs), Gheimeh (tomato stew), Kashk-o-Bodenjan (a delicious blend of eggplant in a golden sweet onion) and grilled veggie. Then I moved on to the real heavy stuff. The Kabob-e-Kubideh (ground beef), Kabob-e-Barg (tenderloin) and Joojeh Kabob.. Yum yum.. I finished up my meal with Hot Persian tea. It had an amazing aroma. That wrapped out our perfect meal.

If you go during weekend evening, you will get to enjoy the entertainment as well. I haven't tried that yet but you bet that it is on my to-do list already.

What can be better than trying a little bit of different cultures without breaking the bank! I know that it can't compare to the real experience but at least it gives me the taste of what is the real experience can be magnified once we get there one day. :)