BlogADoodle.org

I went to my favorite Middle Eastern Market today because I wanted to buy Pita’s.  Ali Baba on Wurzbach near IH-10 makes the greatest pitas around, and I just happened to show up just as they were coming out fresh.  They were hot and soft and the bag was just beginning to fill with condensation.  The whole store smelled of fresh pita.  But what was more interesting to me today was that as I drove into the parking lot I glanced towards what used to be a  non-descript Mexican restaurant.  The sign above now advertised “Pasha  Mediterranean Grill.”  I had never seen it there before, so I figure it must be new.  I asked the clerk at Ali Baba about the food and he said it was good.  So much for Chinese food for dinner.  Never one to turn down food that is true to my heritage, I went and tried it.

The place is tastefully decorated, not overly ornate like the Jerusalem Grill.  It’s more mellow and generic.  You order akin to a Taco Cabana, which might borrow from the buildings original roots.  But then you  also notice the 3 rotating skewer grills of Shawarma meat and you know you can’t get a burrito here.  They were apparently somewhat flabbergasted as I approached to order.  The register guy seamed a bit in a disarray as he grabbed for his post-it notes and a pencil to take my order.  I guess that can be attributed to the fact that there was apparently a power outage prior to my arrival and their system still wasn’t up.  I only learned this later after my appetizer didn’t come to the table till after the entrée, but I’ll get to that later.  So I look over the menu and decide on the Falafel ball (5) appetizer and a side of Hummus.  Then for an entrée I’m figuring a Shawarma plate.  I find the Chicken Shawarma plate on the menu.  The menu describes it as “a generous serving of chicken breast slowly roasted on a vertical pit, thinly sliced and served with Pasha Potatoes, Greek salad and garlic sauce $8.99.”  OK, I think, sounds interesting.  I don’t know what Pasha potatoes are but I’m willing to try.  But then I decide I want Beef instead of chicken, so I scan down and there it is.  Beef Shawarma Plate, yadda yadda yadda, $9.59.   50 cents more for beef?  Whatever, give me the beef and a fountain drink too.  They give me a number, 27.  Then I go to pull my credit card out of my wallet and the guy says, “pay me when you finish.”  Still sans power I guess.

I sit and I look around.  The guy in the grill area is looking at me.  He’s got tattoo’s on his neck.  For some reason I think he’s either killed someone in the past, or is planning it in the future.  I don’t know, that’s the kind of judgmental crap that runs through my head sometimes.  What do I care, I have a gun.  I wait forever.  Not really, but for some reason it felt longer then it actually should.  A different guy brings my plate of  Beef Shawarma before anything else.  He asks if I want bread.   Uh, Duh.  He leaves to fetch.

As I look at the plate, it appears well presented, but something is missing.  It takes me a minute to realize, no Pasha Potatoes.  And they put my side of Hummus on the plate instead of on the side, as one might expect a side to be placed.  Weird.  When he comes back I ask about the potatoes.  “Isn’t this supposed to come with potatoes?” I ask.  “You want potatoes?” he asks back.  Uh, see above response!  He leaves to fetch.

Now up until now everyone who I’ve seen work there appears of middle eastern descent, or Mexican, I can’t really tell.  But all of a sudden a pale white lady comes with my Falafel and apologizes for it not coming out first and blames the power outage.  That’s how I knew there was a power outage.  She asks if everything was as expected and I asked her about the potatoes.  She said the plate doesn’t come with potatoes.  OK, I distinctly remember reading about Pasha Potatoes and thinking “what the heck is a Pasha Potato?”  Oh wait, that was chicken, I didn’t actually read beef.  Apparently, you can’t yadda yadda yadda sex and you can’t yadda yadda yadda the Pasha Menu, (Homage to Seinfeld there, for those that know.)  So let me see if I get this right, I am paying 50 cents more for 50 percent less food?  What in the heck is that caca? Well the guy brings me a side of Pasha Potatoes (which I have to pay extra for) and all is well that ends, err, starts, well, just sorta OK.

I start with the Shawarma.  The flavor is very tasty.  I might venture to say it’s better then Jerusalem.  The problem is that it’s tepid at best, and that detracts from the flavor and the experience.  The plate does come with a small Greek Salad.  Aside from the standards of Romaine lettuce, olives, tomatoes and feta, this salad also came with artichoke hearts, cucumbers and sun dried tomatoes (which was a very nice surprise).  It was drizzled with a homemade dressing that was pretty good, but I thought that it might have maybe had a little kick.  I couldn’t tell cause it wasn’t on every bite, only at the beginning.  Then I try the Falafel.  It’s got a spice in it that I’ve never had in Falafel before.  I can’t figure out what it was, maybe saffron.  But it was an enjoyable surprise.  The flavor was very good as well, and it wasn’t overly oily which was great.  The problem, you guessed it, COLD.  What the heck?  The Pasha potatoes were slightly warmer but still not to the level I would associate with freshly prepared food.  As far as flavor, well done.  The Falafel came with Tahina and the Shawarma came with Hummus.  For some reason I always associate the sauces the other way around, but whatever.  I got both and ate them the way I wanted.  The pitas where pretty good.  Apparently home made cause I saw some lady throwing dough  around in the way back like it was a pizza crust.   And it was softer and “meatier” then Jerusalem Grill’s.

After I ate I went to pay and the same guy looks at me all confused and says, “Can I help you?”  Jeez, how do you forget me in 20 minutes?   I never left the place.

“I need to pay,” I say and at that very moment I glance down to a hand written note that I had not seen there when I came in to order.  It was scribbled on a white paper bag with a pink Hi-lighter and taped to the display case on the back of the register.

“CASH ONLY PLEASE AT THIS TIME.”

Holy Joseph, step-father of Jesus!!!  That wasn’t there when I walked in!  I never carry cash.  Are you frigging kidding me?  I always pay with my check card.  I don’t even carry checks!  Hell, I don’t even have checks.

‘You don’t take credit cards?!?!?!” I asked, sounding slightly more panicky then I had anticipated sounding.

“No, Not at this time,” he says.  Looks like you morons are buying me dinner I’m thinking to myself.  And then I remembered.  I had to get a money order and had that cash somewhere in my backpack.  Thank the Lord, I would have looked like a moron.

All in all, I was disappointed in the temperature of the food and the fact that there is no rice or potato with the plate itself.  The food tasted very good and it didn’t come off as cheap, fast food, which worked out cause it wasn’t either.  If I was exactly half way between Pasha and Jerusalem Grill, I’d go to Jerusalem.  Their ambiance and their employees far make up for the slightly better Shawarma at Pasha.  With that being said, I would give Pasha a second chance if I happen to be hungry for Mediterranean and am in the area.  Try it and tell me what you think.

Their Menu is available online at http://pasha-sa.com/