Mandaloun Restaurant


By now, we’ve all heard for years how the Mediterranean diet is healthy and the choice of so-called nutrition experts. Well, that may be true but when I go to Mandaloun Restaurant in Redwood City (in the San Francisco Bay Area), I’m not thinking about whether this is the healthiest food option or not. What I want to know in a Mediterranean restaurant is whether the chefs use truly great ingredients- like what is the quality of their olive oil, are they skimping on fresh lemon juice, do they make their own pita bread or buy it from the local supermarket just like the rest of us?

I came across Mandaloun Restaurant in Redwood City (just half an hour south of San Francisco) last year and have quickly become a regular.

Firstly, I love a restaurant whose ambiance can make me feel like I’m in a totally different place than wherever it is I am. Stepping into the wrought-iron doors of Mandaloun into its natural stone and sconced lit interiors feels like I’m entering a romantic yet festive restaurant in Greece. All the way in the back of this large restaurant sits an open kitchen where chefs are casually skewering, chopping and throwing pizza dough in the air (they have a few Italian options on the menu which I’ll discuss later on).

It’s a warm, inviting sense that starts off a simple, small meal or a festive feast on a high note.

The staff have always been friendly and quick, whether to sit us down or take our orders. As many times as I’ve been there, I never leave out ordering Babaganoush (here spelled Babaghanouje)- creamy eggplant puréed with Tahini and a touch of olive oil served with deliciously soft, pillowy pita bread. I’ve looked far and wide across American markets, both large and ethnic and have not found pita bread as good as those at Mandaloun.

Bruschetta here is as it should be- perfectly fresh and simple. Just diagonally sliced baguette lightly toasted topped with diced tomatoes that have been marinated with fresh basil leaves, feta crumble, fresh fennel and a citrus honey drizzle. The juiciness of the tart tomatoes against the sweetness of the honey and fennel create a lovely burst of freshness on the palate.

The Hummus is every bit as creamy and spot on as the Babaganoush- every ingredient noticeably simple, from the chickpeas to the olive oil, Tahini and lemon juice. These three dishes together- the Babaganoush, Hummus and Bruschetta are the Holy Trinity of Mediterranean dishes for me; a meal at Mandaloun just isn’t a meal without these three present.

All three of these appear on the “Small Plates” menu at Mandaloun, a menu that features a variety of classic Mediterranean favorites for well under $10. The servings are decent so you can happily make an entire meal out of several Small Plates.

Off their regular plates menu (mostly well under $20), there’s nothing to complain about, with a few standouts that keep me coming back. I adore Crispy Calamari that is done well- soft, slightly chewy but not rubbery, flavorful and not greasy. Mandaloun does it right every time I’ve ordered this.

They’ve got four great pizza choices, which may seem odd given that this is a Mediterranean restaurant but not so odd when you realize that Italy is in fact, bordering the Mediterranean Sea. I think many foodies in America (and perhaps around the world) tend to think of Mediterranean food as strictly Greek and Turkish, when in fact, countries like Italy, Croatia, Tunisia and Albania all lie on the Mediterranean Sea. So when a restaurant claims to serve Mediterranean food, it cannot be faulted for including cuisine from any of these nations, many of which share similar ingredients, flavor profiles and techniques.

Of the four pizza choices at Mandaloun (all under $15 for a medium sized pizza), I absolutely love the Funghi- a thin, soft but crisp layer of pizza dough topped with a generous mélange of sliced mushrooms, mozzarella, Fontina and the piece de resistance- caramelized onions. There’s nothing quite like the earthiness of mushrooms paired with the sweetness of caramelized onions. As much as I am a fan of Mandaloun’s Hummus and Babaganoush, I would come back just for this pizza alone.

For those of you interested in healthier options, Mandaloun does a fantastic job of preparing classic Mediterranean dishes including a whole grilled fish with olive oil, lemon juice and seasonal vegetables, as well as a luscious Tarragon Mushroom Risotto that is creamy, heartwarming and just a clean touch of tartness from the tomatoes. All the grilled dishes (which is what they specialize in) are more than decent, from the Rotisserie Chicken to the Kebabs and even the NY Steak.

This is a restaurant that is consistently packed with families, couples and large groups. The food is always solid with standout dishes; the service is friendly and consistent; the prices are very reasonable; the ambiance is lovely and the bathrooms are clean. Go on a weeknight and you won’t have to have a reservation or brave a long wait.

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