I’ve always believed that food brings people together because one of my favorite mother-daughter bonding times with my mom was laughing about our pets’ funniest moments to having a deep talk about the future while sharing a chicken kabob at the Santa Anita Mall. So finding a new Mediterranean spot that would be close to my home and feed my physical needs and my soul can be hard. But I’m glad to say I found a new Mediterranean restaurant where I can continue creating more memories with my mom.
The Mediterranean Kabob Station opened a few weeks ago at Walnut Town and Country on 233 N Grand Ave, Walnut. Since it was my first time at this new restaurant along with my siblings, customer service was happy to give recommendations on what to eat. The menu was organized into four categories: appetizers, sandwich combos, plates and salads. These categories had a variety of meats such as lamb, shrimp and kofta, a ball shaped ground meat typically made of beef or lamb, but there were also vegan options. My siblings and I ordered the Chicken Kabob plate ($18.99), the Beef Kabob plate ($22.99) and the Salmon Kabob plate ($21.99). Each plate came with salad, hummus with chickpeas and olive oil, rice, meat, garlic sauce and three slices of pita bread.
As the waiter brought our food, the smell of garlic, paprika spice and earthy aroma filled the room. The first thing we tried were the kabobs, which were cooked perfectly and tasted moist and smoky. The salmon was roasted and savory, the beef was juicy and tender and the chicken was crunchy on the edges but well-cooked on the inside. Along with the kabobs, I tried the basmati rice—which had a simple yet delicious taste from the cilantro.
After the kabobs, we tried the hummus. When I tasted the soft warm pita with the citrus hummus, my taste buds were incredibly happy. It was the best hummus I have ever had before, with a fresh, creamy and rich texture. The garlic sauce also impressed me. Garlic can be a hit or miss because too much of it can ruin the food, but it can also add a zesty flavor to it like the garlic sauce. The first taste of the sauce came at me with a bold and tangy flavor but as it began to settle in, the sauce added a great balance of savory and sourness to my food.
The salad, which was made of lettuce, radishes, cucumber, red onion and tomatoes, was also delicious with a fresh look and taste. Personally, I avoid radishes at all costs but I didn’t mind eating the radishes in the salad because they were balanced with the other vegetables and were covered with the chef’s tasteful secret ingredient.
The portion size was large enough to easily feed one to two people. Other restaurants that I have tried would either give an unbalanced amount of meat and rice or too much food that can’t be finished by one person. However, at Mediterranean Kabob Station, the portions were distributed evenly in each plate that we got, and I was able to finish all my food and was left satisfied.
I would definitely come back to try new food items from this restaurant such as the sandwiches combo and the shawarma. I would recommend eating at the Mediterranean Kabob Station because of the variety of authentic flavors that each food has. I would rate this restaurant 5/5 stars.
The Mediterranean Kabob Station will be my go to place with my mom from now on. Although it’s bittersweet that I’m no longer a child eating with her at the old Mediterranean place, I will enjoy spending time with her at the new restaurant. With every bite of the chicken kabob, it will remind me how food brings my present and past memories of us together.
