Meze Grill’s amazing concept started from owner Marwan Salem’s love for Mediterranean food and his desire to spread his love for it. The concept is simple: uniting the commonalities across the eastern Mediterranean region under one roof with the best and freshest ingredients for the best tasting food.

This attention to detail is impressive: every item is made fresh in house and planned perfectly for the best and most authentic Mediterranean experience. Meze Grill’s amazing hummus is the best example of this. Unlike other restaurants where the hummus is made from canned chickpeas, at Meze Grill, fresh chickpeas are soaked overnight before and boiled for hours before being combined with a special spice mix for an authentic hummus.

Another prime example of the care that goes into the Meze Grill dining experience is their garlic aioli. Probably the most underappreciated item in the line-up, this signature item follows a unique Lebanese recipe. Many Mediterranean food connoisseurs are shocked to find that the garlic aioli does not contain any eggs or dairy, yet the texture of the aioli has such a smooth and creamy consistency. When asked about the secret behind this incredible sauce, Marwan compared the process of making the aioli to a chemical reaction.

The prudence that goes into the dining experience at Meze Grill goes beyond the food preparation. They’re also GREEN! Many of the materials used are renewable materials or recycled. All the table and countertops are made from ply bamboo. The siding/wall panels of the restaurant are created from recycled barn wood and the air conditioning system is a high energy-efficient system. One of the coolest things about Meze Grill is that it donates all its cooking oil for biodiesel. Much of the produce used in making the cooking are all natural, from local farmers and shipped daily.

The first thing you’ll notice when you step into Meze Grill is it’s similarities to Chiptole – but don’t be fooled by the set up and the ease. We can all agree your experience ordering at Chipotle is smooth and simple. Meze Grill mimics this process but enhances it with an exotic cuisine that Marwan is trying to “blow up” into a household name. The process is quite simple as you take a look from the diagram below.

1. Choose salad, rice or Bulgur wheat platter, or sandwich
2. Choose your meat (chicken’s my fav) or falafel
3. Choose a vegetable topping (Batata Harra and the pickled turnips are my fav)
4. Choose a “dressing” (the Garlic Aioli is a MUST have, the Tahini and Tzatziki are also DELICIOUS)
5. Extra charge sides which include the hummus, spicy hummus, Baba Ganoush, Piaz Bean Salad, and Tabouleh

Now… onto the food!

Main Course

Chicken Pita Sandwich
The pita sandwich is probably one of my favorites. I love the white pita bread as it’s baked fresh daily and it is incredibly thin and tasty. Meze Grill has recently started grilling your sandwich to have it hot, but I prefer it just the old way, wrapped up and served straight to me. The perfectly seasoned chicken is incredibly fresh and flavorful. It’s definitely by far my favorite meat. I am amazed at how juicy and flavorful the chicken is for being 100% white meat. It’s simply amazing.

Now the toppings! This is actually my favorite part of the sandwich, which is CRAZY! Everyone loves the meat but all the toppings are SO flavorful here. I love the Garlic Aioli (which I already discussed earlier), the garlicky taste and the texture is perfect. It’s not overpowering but just right to complement all the other mix of ingredients. Another favorite of mine is the pickled turnips. I have to say I do not like turnips and never crave them but at Meze Grill I can eat these bad boys all day long. They are delicious, and the color and presentation is stunning.

Bulgur Wheat and Lamb
Bulgur Wheat is a dish which will cause a little debate. Many might find it plain and tasteless but this dish is meant to be very simple. It has a nice course texture with a hint of light nutty flavor. The Bulgur wheat is a nice rice alternative and extremely healthy for you, low in fat, high in nutritional value and fiber.

The lamb is also delicious as its slow cooked and pulled. Like other meats at Meze Grill that are never dry, this was also incredibly moist.

Steak Rice Bowl
What is there not to like about this dish? Steak? Love it! Rice with vermicelli? DELICIOUS! I have no clue how they make their rice pilaf but it is awesome. It’s incredible warm and hearty and flavorful. Who would have thought rice would be flavorful?

The great part about all the meat at Meze Grill is that it is hormone- and antibiotic-free. The steak is lean with zero fat and cooked to perfection. It’s also incredibly juicy with an ideal amount of spices and flame broiled for a hint of smokey flavor.

Falafel Salad
Just like their hummus, their falafels are made from fresh chickpeas and fava beans. The falafel balls are enormous (which I love) and Meze Grill does not skimp on the portions here. This vegetarian dish can hold its own against all the other dishes with its explosion of flavor. The Falafels are loaded with flavor including parsley, cumin, and black pepper to give it a nice kick.

Toppings and Side Dishes

Batata Harra – This is another favorite of mine. The best part of it is the texture: nice crunch on the outside but extremely tender, soft, and moist interior. The exterior is well seasoned with garlic and cilantro. I highly encourage everyone try this.

Hummus – Freshly made daily. This is the “bread and butter” of Meze Grill. I would put money on Meze Grill if there was a Hummus contest in the city… mmmm do I smell a sanctioned Appetite for Good hummus throw down?

Baba Ganoush – Sherry and I are at a disagreement here. I personally LOVE this with the smokey flavor. I think it might be my roots of growing up in Texas and tasting all the smokey BBQ and chipotle taste. But the smokey flavor definitely brings comfort to my heart with a twist of Mediterranean.

Tzatziki – I think I can eat this by the spoonful. Is it getting repetitive yet? But I also love this… This is a must-have topping on all my orders.

Tabouleh – Sherry loved this. The zing of the lemon juice brings out a certain tanginess. The parsley adds a nice taste while the onions add a nice crunchy texture. The freshness is apparent through the crunch of the dish.

Piaz Bean Salad – A unique dish from Istanbul. This is another one of Sherry’s favorite items, It’s a great side dish that cleanses the palate with its fresh lemony taste. It’s less tart than the tabouleh with an added sweetness from the peppers.
Pita Chips – My only complaint about this is that it’s a little too thin which breaks when I eat the delicious hummus. But besides that its perfect, it’s one of the best pita chips I’ve had. It’s perfectly seasoned and not too salty.

Rice Pudding – Meze Grill makes a mean rice pudding. I would have never thought about ordering a rice pudding until Marwan insisted that I try it. The rice is nice and textured, where at many other places, it feels like you’re eating a pile of goop. The cinnamon flavor is deeply embedded in the entire dish. I asked Marwan what his secret is and I found out they cook their rice with sticks of cinnamon. Oops, hope the secret’s not out.

If you haven’t had the opportunity, please check out Meze Grill. Not only do they have delicious food but they support amazing causes and always looking for more local causes to support. Meze Grill has participated in many charity events in the city and has been a crucial supporter of StreetWise Partners’ Taste of Success, Three Dot Dash, American Cancer Society Project Able, and also Global Peace Initiative Race for the Cure.

Feel Good about Food!

The Best of the Mediterranean Under One Roof

Written by Patrick Chang

Original Article: Appetite for Good

As part of the culinary team at Meze Grill, I was excited to bring my expertise to this lively new concept in fast-casual dining.  Unlike my experiences at legendary restaurants like Tribeca Grill or Delmonico’s, working with Meze Grill was unlike anything I’ve ever done before.  It gave me the opportunity to bring a new twist to traditional Eastern Mediterranean dining by infusing new flavors with old world traditions.

You’ll notice some of these new twists in such items as our Hummus Lime Vinaigrette and Whipped Feta signature salad dressings.  We’ve also taken two of our core ingredients, chickpeas and tomatoes, and made a great tasting soup out of them!

While we’ve made some unique creations of our own, our authentic finishing sauces represent a perfect example of how we’re uniting the best of the Eastern Mediterranean under one roof.  Our Tzatziki finishing sauce is the traditional Greek recipe and our Harissa has its roots in North Africa.  Yes, every Eastern Mediterranean country has a yogurt sauce and a spicy sauce, but we selected Tzatziki and Harissa to be part of the Meze Grill family because we believe they represent the best forms of these items in the region.

These are just a couple of examples of how we’re going the extra mile to create authentic foods with updated, modern flavors.  We do this by making everything fresh and homemade, using the best ingredients we can find to honor a culinary heritage filled with a rich, diverse history and our relentless pursuit of being the very best at what we do.

Other Notable Honors / Positions:

• “Chef de Cuisine” at Tribeca Grill, New York, NY
• 10-Year Member of Continental Airlines “Congress of Chefs”
• Featured on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef”
• 2009 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards Winner – “Best in the World / USA” for co-authoring “Dining at Delmonico’s” cookbook
• Owner of  “NYC Culinary Events”, a company that specializes in catering to upscale events including the Masters and Ryder Cup golf tournaments, the U.S. Open, the Tribeca Film Festival and the Breeders Cup.

From an early age, I grew up believing that there was always time in the day for food that tastes great and is always made fresh.  It was part of a lifestyle where our family could get together, relax, and enjoy a great meal, made with the best ingredients out there.

My interest in Eastern Mediterranean cuisine comes not only from my family, but from my travels throughout the countries that make up the Eastern Mediterranean, and the friends I’ve made all along the way.

As I traveled the world, especially the countries which made up the Eastern Mediterranean, I realized a common thread that united these people:  their striking cultural and culinary similarities.  Yes, each country had its own local specialties, but across all these countries I found that every country had the famous flame-broiled meats.  Gyro, Doner, or Shawarma: whatever you call them, they were all served in one form of pita bread, with a delicious series of toppings and sauces, specific to local traditions.  I found even more similarities across the region in such items as Falafel, Hummus, Baba Ganoush, and Baklava.  After searching for equivalent flavors in New York, I decided to build on these similarities and, with the support of family and friends, launched Meze Grill.

Some say that the best in the restaurant business are those that love to cook, and I truly enjoy my work every day.   While I’m not in the kitchen cooking, I make it a point to inspect our food throughout the day, and I’m always on the lookout for new, better tasting ingredients that can make our food taste even better.

At Meze Grill, we start the morning off early and make everything in house, never using prepackaged or processed foods.  It’s all part of our strong belief in elevating your Mediterranean dining experience.  We’re confident that you’ll notice the difference in the taste and quality when you enjoy our food.

For example, look at our hummus.  We soak our chickpeas overnight and then boil them for hours, strain them, and then prepare them to be blended with Tahini and Lemon Juice.  From start to finish, the process takes us about two days.  While we could easily use canned chickpeas and make a batch of hummus in 20 minutes, the taste and quality wouldn’t match the flavor or consistency that you find with our hummus.  Our customers love it, and we’re proud that we have raised the bar in making some really great hummus.

I incorporated a lot of great ideas from my travels into the items we serve here, true to our belief in serving authentic food with a modern twist.  At Meze Grill, I want to unite the familiar, best-tasting flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean under one umbrella in a made-to-order, friendly, casual environment.  My goal for Meze Grill is to showcase the celebrated flavors and traditions of this part of the world, using the highest-quality ingredients, freshest meats & produce, making all items the way they’re supposed to be made, while never sacrificing food quality for cost.