email this
print thisSAVE AND SHARE
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Dining Duo-6.25
In keeping with its name, this narrow B.Y.O.B., furnished with velvet curtains and mulberry and green sponge-painted walls, provided a friendly, but leisurely paced, Thursday dinner. A number of specialties from Greece (falafel), Middle Eastern countries (baba ganujh, labni), and Italy (vegetable alfredo, ravioli) were part of the reasonably sized menu.
We were directed by the sole server to choose a table while she was in the middle of taking the order of another group. We had ample time to review the menu and relax with our bottle of California shiraz, which was opened just after we sat down. Slices of regular and whole-wheat pita bread, and small rolls were brought with a saucer of herbs in olive oil.
We chose two special appetizers to begin our journey to the Mediterranean. A cup of gazpacho ($4) contained fresh tomato and basil with small chunks of yellow squash that added a crunch. “Joe’s Crabcake” ($14) was served on a generous bed of spring mix, chopped tomatoes and pepper strips with a light vinaigrette. As promised, the moist cake was made of lump crab with no filler, and was baked, not fried. We called the finely diced mixture of cooked peppers on the bottom of the cake “Mediterranean relish,” since it added flavor with just a hint of crunch.
Our entrees were served amidst the groups arriving and settling into the upstairs dining room.
The fish of the day ($26) was a lightly breaded, thick halibut fillet. The moderately sized portion was moist with none of the fishiness common with this species. Rice pilaf made with celery, tomatoes and carrots was different than the plain rice served elsewhere. The asparagus spears we chose as our vegetable were cooked perfectly.
The Carnivore ordered the Lamb Kabob platter ($22) served with “Traditional” sides of hummus, tabouli and rice pilaf, rather than the “Middle Eastern” option which included red beans and rice pilaf. The eight seared cubes of lamb served between pieces of onion and green pepper on a skewer were incredibly mild and tender.
We found the hummus and tabouli to be fresher, higher quality examples than what we’ve had elsewhere. The hummus had a silky texture and fresh, but not overwhelming, flavors of lemon and garlic. The tabouli was prepared with fresh mint and ripe tomatoes.
We were not stuffed, and decided to order “Margaret’s Deep Dish Apple Pie” a la mode ($9) to finish our meal, and a slice of Baklava ($5) to take home. We were happy with this decision since the pie was (as described on the menu) one-eighth of a very monstrous pie. The Dessert Hound devoured the cinnamon-laced, layered slices of apples that were more tart than sweet. The tender pie crust reminded her more of apple dumplings.
The Baklava was a moderate square of chopped, mixed nuts, including pistachios, mixed with cinnamon and sugar and sandwiched between sheets of phyllo dough. It was also a very different presentation from the usual multiple layers of walnuts and phyllo.
Our dinner at The Mediterranean certainly was a departure from the usual Greek or Italian B.Y.O.B.
Overall rating: 4 forks (out of 5)
The Dining Duo bases their reviews on unannounced, anonymous visits. To contact the pair, e-mail diningduo@comcast.net.
Location: 150 W. Gay St., West Chester
Telephone: 610-431-7074
Cuisine:Mediterranean
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 4 to 9 p.m.
Cost: Appetizers and soups, $4 to $16; Entrées, $15 to $26
Alcohol: B.Y.O.B.
Credit Cards: VISA, MasterCard
Smoking/Non: Non-smoking
Wheelchair Access: Yes
Reservations: No
Web site:
We were directed by the sole server to choose a table while she was in the middle of taking the order of another group. We had ample time to review the menu and relax with our bottle of California shiraz, which was opened just after we sat down. Slices of regular and whole-wheat pita bread, and small rolls were brought with a saucer of herbs in olive oil.
We chose two special appetizers to begin our journey to the Mediterranean. A cup of gazpacho ($4) contained fresh tomato and basil with small chunks of yellow squash that added a crunch. “Joe’s Crabcake” ($14) was served on a generous bed of spring mix, chopped tomatoes and pepper strips with a light vinaigrette. As promised, the moist cake was made of lump crab with no filler, and was baked, not fried. We called the finely diced mixture of cooked peppers on the bottom of the cake “Mediterranean relish,” since it added flavor with just a hint of crunch.
Our entrees were served amidst the groups arriving and settling into the upstairs dining room.
The fish of the day ($26) was a lightly breaded, thick halibut fillet. The moderately sized portion was moist with none of the fishiness common with this species. Rice pilaf made with celery, tomatoes and carrots was different than the plain rice served elsewhere. The asparagus spears we chose as our vegetable were cooked perfectly.
The Carnivore ordered the Lamb Kabob platter ($22) served with “Traditional” sides of hummus, tabouli and rice pilaf, rather than the “Middle Eastern” option which included red beans and rice pilaf. The eight seared cubes of lamb served between pieces of onion and green pepper on a skewer were incredibly mild and tender.
We found the hummus and tabouli to be fresher, higher quality examples than what we’ve had elsewhere. The hummus had a silky texture and fresh, but not overwhelming, flavors of lemon and garlic. The tabouli was prepared with fresh mint and ripe tomatoes.
We were not stuffed, and decided to order “Margaret’s Deep Dish Apple Pie” a la mode ($9) to finish our meal, and a slice of Baklava ($5) to take home. We were happy with this decision since the pie was (as described on the menu) one-eighth of a very monstrous pie. The Dessert Hound devoured the cinnamon-laced, layered slices of apples that were more tart than sweet. The tender pie crust reminded her more of apple dumplings.
The Baklava was a moderate square of chopped, mixed nuts, including pistachios, mixed with cinnamon and sugar and sandwiched between sheets of phyllo dough. It was also a very different presentation from the usual multiple layers of walnuts and phyllo.
Our dinner at The Mediterranean certainly was a departure from the usual Greek or Italian B.Y.O.B.
Overall rating: 4 forks (out of 5)
The Dining Duo bases their reviews on unannounced, anonymous visits. To contact the pair, e-mail diningduo@comcast.net.
Location: 150 W. Gay St., West Chester
Telephone: 610-431-7074
Cuisine:Mediterranean
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 4 to 9 p.m.
Cost: Appetizers and soups, $4 to $16; Entrées, $15 to $26
Alcohol: B.Y.O.B.
Credit Cards: VISA, MasterCard
Smoking/Non: Non-smoking
Wheelchair Access: Yes
Reservations: No
Web site:
