Those who follow a restrictive diet know that it can be very hard, and sometimes impossible to eat out. Here in Tri-Village, we are fortunate to have a variety of options, including Mazah Mediterranean Eatery.
Mazah is open for lunch Wednesday-Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stop by and try the lunch sampler!
Plant power
Mediterranean food is often a go-to for those following vegan/vegetarian, low-fat or low-carb diets because of its emphasis on using whole foods such as beans and legumes, nuts, leafy greens, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Mazah is owned by Maggie Ailabouni and her family. Her daughter, Katy Ailabouni, says in many parts of the Middle East meat is usually reserved for special occasions, holidays and celebrations.
Gluten sensitivities are also taken seriously at Mazah. A member of the Ailabouni family has Celiac disease, so the family understands the severity of gluten allergies and will not cross-contaminate when a guest needs to be accommodated. Gluten-free substitutes are almost always available.
Healthful medley of flavors
Photos by Maisie Fitzmaurice
mazah
I visited Mazah myself and tried its baba ganouj and hummus. Both were smooth and garlicky, and the baba ganouj impressed me the most. The smoked eggplant tasted authentically fiery – not like a liquid smoke additive.
Superfood-heavy sides such as three-bean and cabbage salads work perfectly to balance out the heavy flavors of the hummus and baba.
The mujadara salad tasted just as fresh. The cucumbers were crisp, the oil-based roasted red pepper dressing was lively, and the lentils were cooked perfectly – not so soft that they were mushy, but not hard and undercooked either. A filling meal, but not one that makes you feel bloated.
The real star of the show is the falafel. Growing up in a vegetarian household, I’ve had dozens of falafel variations. The salty, savory flavor of Mazah’s falafel stands above the rest – perfectly crispy on the outside, moist on the inside.
Focus on family
Maggie Ailabouni is originally from Lebanon but spent significant time living in Nazareth, Israel before she moved to the States. Because of this, her cooking has multiple influences.
“It’s like getting pizza from different places, it’s all different. So for us, (flavors come from) whatever village my grandparents came from,” Katy says.
She says that patrons have raved about the authentic flavor, only to find out that they are from the same specific region as her family.
If a customer wants a traditional Middle Eastern dish that isn’t on the menu, Maggie will most likely make it happen. She also hosts Lebanese Nights on the first Monday of every month, where she cooks off-menu items beloved by many from Middle Eastern backgrounds.
“That’s almost like a shared memory that you can recreate with the food,” she says. “Second, third generations that want to re-experience what they remember when they were kids at family holidays and gatherings. They’ll come here and they’ll do that.”
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Fattoush Lebanese Salad Recipe (yields six servings):
2 pieces of pita bread
2 heads chopped Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1 cup drained diced tomatoes
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves
Dressing:
1 tsp. chopped garlic (2-4 cloves)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup lemon juice (2 large lemons)
1 tsp. powdered Sumac
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 F
- Cut pita into strips about 3/4 inch wide and arrange on baking sheet
- Bake until pita strips are crisp, barely starting to brown, (less than 10 minutes). Watch carefully, they can burn quickly. Let pita bread strips cool, then crumble into bite-sized pieces.
- For dressing, mash together the garlic and salt using a mortar and pestle, or the side of a knife or spoon. Put garlic-salt paste in a small bowl, add lemon juice and Sumac. Whisk in olive oil and set aside.
- Remove outer leaves from Romaine stem then wash and dry. Put chopped Romaine into a salad bowl large enough to toss all ingredients.
- Add tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint and green onions to bowl.
- Add about half of the dressing and toss, then add crumbled pita and toss again with more dressing.
- Let salad sit for a few minutes (or longer) to let flavors blend and pita chips absorb some of the dressing.
Recipe Courtesy of Kalyn Denny. www.kalynskitchen.com. Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.
