This tiny restaurant located on Bellevue Way offers a great dining experience. The service is professional and friendly. The waiters know the menu very well and will gladly recommend appropriate beverages to accompany the meal. Try the wine from Lebanon -- it has a distinictive taste that pairs very well with the majority of the entrees.
Speaking of entrees, you get a lot of food. My advice, unless you are really hungry, is to think about dining family-style. One entree can easily serve two or three people.
The lentil soup is tasty and a very nice introduction to the meal. The salad presentation is made special by the waiter pouring just the right amount of the dressing on the salad in an almost ceremonial fashion.
My favourite entree is the Shish Tawook, a charbroiled chicken breast marinated in garlic, lemon juice, and spices. The Baba Kanouj (mashed eggplant with spices and tahini) along with the Lebanese Labnie (drained yogurt with olives, tomatoes, and spices) are great appetizers. I recommend sharing an entree if you want to try an appetizer, though.
The atmosphere is wonderful. There is an energetic buzz in the dark dining room. Candlelight is the primary source of illumination so I count it as one of the most romantic restaurants on the Eastside. However, families of all sizes would be as comfortable here as a couple on a date.
I recommend Mediterranean Kitchen to anyone who loves the flavours of the Middle East. Since it is so popular I recommend you make reservations.
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