La Shish - Cary (Middle Eastern) - ∆∆

Food - ∆∆
Service - ∆∆
Atmosphere - ∆∆


I drove to Cary this evening to La Shish to get my shawarma fix. Combo. platter of beef shawarma and lamb kabob. The beef shawarma came on a bed of rice, and the chunks were plenty moist, tender, and flavorful. The lamb was quite well prepared too and had a vibrant and smooth flavor to it. Based on a Bay Area standard, this was good Jordanian/Lebanese cuisine. Not as spectacular or generous portions-wise as some places back West, but also far better than some of the atrocious corner store dives I've experienced out there.

The BAKLAVA, however, was hands down the best I've had at a restaurant. Greg Cox had it right: "a triangular tower of walnuts, orange blossom-scented sugar syrup and shatter-crisp phyllo pastry that so far exceeds the sum of its simple parts as to defy description." The only baklava I've had that compares in quality was baked by the Greek (so different style) woman who was the Resident Fellow in college out at CA.

La Shish - a good happy medium, and I'll definitely return there.