Baba Ghannouj is a nice change from the traditional Mediterranean restaurant as it tries to take different dishes that are less commercialized while having good quality dishes the average person would know such as baklava or gyro meat with pita. It takes dishes from all over the region including a Cilantro Salad with Moroccan roots and Middle Eastern style Chicken Curry. This unique offering of food in a buffet format is a treat as you can have a taste of many different dishes rather than being forced to pick the same staple meal you would get at a normal Mediterranean place. Overall the food is good, and it is a great place to bring people for a long lunch or dinner as it is all you can eat. Moreover, the service is great and attentive, but the only downside is the general location of the restaurant. Baba Ghannouj makes up for this with a very clear and modern looking interior which mirrors that of a typical casual buffet.
Beginning with the appetizers, there are several that are worth trying. First, a Mediterranean classic, the grape leaves have a very strong citrus taste which is enjoyable, and there is a smooth, consistent texture. Although I do not personally enjoy the eggplant dish as it is served cold, the rest of the people I dined with had positive things to say. This is a staple of the restaurant. Sometimes, there will be cauliflower which is also served cold, but the marination and flavor of the vegetable makes it a great side dish. Out of the salads, my favorite is the cilantro salad. It has a fantastic blend of flavors, with the perfect amount of cilantro. The salad explodes in your mouth and the fresh tomatoes add to the punch of the cilantro spice. The kale salad is mediocre as the chickpeas tend to overpower the salad. However, the Fatoosh salad also tastes great. The onions are a great addition and it is the easiest of the salad to eat which is convenient. Baba Ghannouj’s final salad is the traditional tabbouleh salad, which although it is not bad, you have to really like onions and a granular texture. The chickpea side dish is good because of the marination once again. As for the green beans, they have a nice hint of cinnamon, but they are cooked until they are slightly soggy which is not my preferred way to prepare the dish. The rice in general is very smooth, and if the lentils are added it is a mild flavor change.
Now moving on to the heart of the entrees, I will begin with the Hummus. It is not the best hummus I have ever had, but it has a good, smooth consistency with a smokiness and sharpness that comes from it being cooked for 2 days. It goes well with pita, which is good when it has not been sitting there, but otherwise becomes stale and cracker-like quickly. The curry chicken is moist and the curry itself is light and not overpowering in any sense. I like this a lot because you can really taste the chicken still. You can say the exact same review about the chicken shawarma, which has very little differentiation from the curry. The lamb and beef gyro meat is good but like the bread loses freshness fairly quickly. One could try to use the tzatziki to save the meat if you get a bad batch, but it is much better fresh. Speaking of the cucumber condiment, it is very much like any other tzatziki, nothing to make it stand out from other Mediterranean places, but good nonetheless.
Finally, there are three different desserts that are offered at the buffet, the first being traditional baklava. The pastry uses almonds which are very prominent and taste great, so it is a good recipe for baklava. As for the lady fingers, you can tell they are not homemade, but they are from a local bakery. Regardless, the dessert itself is good and I would get some every time. And the last is the banana pudding which to me is the only disappointing dessert. While the dish is really creamy and has a strong banana taste, it is almost overbearing and ruins the dish.
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