Spices Mediterranean Kitchen

Spices Mediterranean Kitchen
4040 W Ray Rd Ste 12
Chandler AZ 85226
(480) 491-4777
http://www.spicesmk.com


The name is Spices, but I only tasted one: Allspice, and lots of it. Walking in, my hetero lifemate and I were greeted by extremely LOUD dance music on the radio. Not to be racist, but there were no Mediterranean people in attendance, just several shaggy local high school youths of decidedly waspish origin. We started with an appetizer of hummus. What could be simpler? Apparently not this. Pine nuts had found their way in, along with a pool of olive oil in place of tahini in the hummus. The hummus was good. Nothing special, like it could have been from anywhere. I ordered lamb/ beef shawarma as a plate, which came with rice and "Mediterranean Salad." The salad was 10 parts diced cukes to 1 part diced tomato. The rice was saffron coloured/ flavoured and really not bad at all for what it was. I found the tahini. It was in a little cup accompanying the entrees. Why here, I am not sure. The shawarma had the effect of being the cheapest fajita meat coated with so much allspice as to destroy its flavour, and then nearly blackened to remove what remained. I'm not sure if it was lamb or not, but it was gristly. My companion went for his favourite: falafel. If one has any doubt about how falafel is made, I can tell you right now that this establishment assuredly FRIES it. Greasy is an understatement, and again, allspice in generous amounts. There were no additonal pitas served with the meal, just one each which came with the hummus. We were both hungry, so we stayed and played, but had it been purely an aesthetic trip, we might have left. Combined with the fact that the staff was packing up around us, putting chairs up onto tables as we dined, and the half-fast (half-assed) order-at-the-counter-and-have-it-delivered-to-your-table a la Pei-Wei, the food will scare us from ever returning. I will say that it does taste like homemade Mid East food, just badly homemade like my ex used to do. Sigh. The search continues for close-to-home medi since the departure of Sabuddy from Tempe.