Taste In Mediterranean Food

The food here is amazing. However, after many friend recommendations and being a faithful customer for 2+ years, I had the worse experience today. When I came up to the counter to order my food one of the owners (older man) was at the register. By mistake I put a $ 20 on the counter to pay and he said to me that no this money is not yours this is the previous customers’ who just paid. I got very confused about the situation because I know for fact that was the only $ 20 cash that I had on me. He keep telling me that I never gave him the $ 20. It’s very upsetting when you know that that was your money and the owner is basically calling you a liar. The sad thing is that I have been a customer for so long and the way he went about this situation today was TERRIBLE! I walked out feeling cheated and unfortunately won’t ever be coming back.

Always going to be a go to spot for home cooked Mediterranean food. Everything is delicious! Must try a lamb/​or chicken shawarma, the falafel with egg wrap, kebob platter, and even the salads are all amazing! Be patient, they are usually busy but worth the wait! Owners are always present and very friendly! Not to forget, they have a baklava variety of all kinds!!!

This place is excellent! Took my vegetarian daughter, the omnivorous daughter and nearly vegetarian wife for a late dinner. The employees could not have been more helpful. The place was small and crowded and for a very good reason. The falafel was one of the best we have ever had. The salmon pita wrap I got was a HUGE piece of fish that tasted great. We will be back any time we are near here.

First visit based on Unilocal.The food and service were just plain outstanding! We have eaten in a number of Mediterranean restaurants in different parts of the world. None were better than this, and as we discussed it at the table, we realized none had given us the immediate reaction we had with our first taste of the appetizer. We both gave out an involuntary yumm! This will be THE place we will recommend to friends when we are in the SFO area.

Moroccan chicken is the best I’ve had, this coming from a guy that sampled Tan-​chine chicken in Marrakesh, Morocco for several days.
Absolutely the perfect blend of spices and the meat literally falls off the bone. Excellent accompaniments with perfect humus, yellow rice, tambolli, and pita — Wow, I’m gonna hate to leave to fly back home.

I loved this place and came twice during a short stay in Burlingame. The first night I had the Fattoush salad and it was so big (at $ 10) that I had to save half for another day. It was really tasty and satisfying, even if the packaging wasn’t so great so my dressing leaked a bit. The next time I tried the sides plate with beets (amazing) tabouli and cucumber, tomato salad. Everything was fresh and delicious and I wish I lived closer!

I can’t say enough about this place. A total gem in Burlingame!
What I ordered: Lamb Gyro Wrap
What was in it: Lamb gyros, marinated tomatoes, tzatziki, onions and herbs.
How was it? Amazing. Fresh. Loaded. This wrap is no joke. The generous serving of lamb gyros were seasoned and cooked perfectly, with a nice sear. The sweet chunks of fresh tomatoes played well with the marinade and herbs. The onions round it out by providing nice crunch. However, there pita bread used as the vessel for this rocket of awesomeness was light and fluffy.
Tip: Ask for hot sauce on the side. It’s excellent.

Taste in Mediterranean strikes me as a family restaurant. Everyone helps and watches out for each other ultimately to watch out for the customer. Their menu descriptions are a little intimidating so I heavily rely on Unilocal for pictures and recommendations. I ordered the chicken gyro since I’m not a huge fan of lamb, but the Lamb Shawarma was actually REALLY good. Creamy, different textures, all the nutrient you need atop your plate. The dessert was also phenomenal. I think it was the kanafe (?) – the flat dessert in the glass case under the cashier that looks like shredded potatoes or carrots that is totally deceptive! It’s layers of cheese with a crispy top, and it’ll make your mouth «whoa». Not to mention, it is the most popular dessert, and I saw that case empty fast. The baklawa’s were also pretty good. Their service is great, in that even though they saw us waiting, they would ensure that we knew to order and pay at the cashier, and also brought us water. And about that Mint Lemonade! It’s so green and refreshing because it’s a lot of ground Mint. If you’re not a lover of fresh Mint, then stay away. Also sour. All’s I know is people of all ages come here to get a good, wholesome meal, and they even stay to talk without feeling pressured to leave.

I love this place. My wife and I look forward each year to visiting this restaurant. The pastries, the unparalleled mint lemonade, the savories… There is nothing here that is remotely displeasing to the palate. I am pleased to offer the highest recommendation to anybody who likes delightful Mediterranean comestibles. Sometimes we will even drive 20 miles out of our way to eat here when our regular annual peninsular visit is insufficient to our needs.
If you are around Burlingame, I charge you to discover an eastern Mediterranean restaurant superior to this place. Don’t pass it up.

Love this place. Do NOT order the chicken, it comes out looking like funny spam slices. The lamb however is tender, full of flavor and very delicious. I always order the gyro wrap with extra yogurt cucumber dip on the side. If I am on diet I order the gyro meat salad which is also amazing just ask for light dressing, the bonus with the salad is that it has a nice dollop of the coveted yogurt cucumber sauce. The pita bread is on the side in basket so you can avoid temptation. Honestly order the gyro wrap with lamb. The bread is so chewy and delicious. Everyone I’ve brought here loves the lamb gyro wrap and you find yourself tearing bits of the wrap to dip in the yogurt cucumber sauce, it’s that good.

Always an exhalant place to eat there sides are just fantastic, occasionally adding new items. Tomato kibbi was exhalant, if they have it get it!

Excellent! Everything we tried was good.
Lamb meatballs over yellow rice. Apple/​walnut salad. Hummus. Turkish coffee. Tomato & cucumber salad. Baba Ganogh. Cole slaw! Wow, try the cole slaw!
When you walk in it looks like a small hole in the wall. Yes it is, the type of hole in the wall you want to find.
We will be back!

This place has a lot of good reviews but I was rather disappointed by what we got here.
First, I was astonished at how expensive some of the dishes could be. At other Mediterranean places, I can get full plates for under $ 15 and be pretty content. Here, the plates were upwards of $ 15-​$ 20. That’s incredibly expensive, especially since this is not really a full service place (you go up to the counter and order).
I did get a lamb sharwarma plate, and I was a bit disappointed. The lamb bits were incredibly burnt and dry. Also, I didn’t realize that the yogurt sauce does not come by default (it’s an add on you pay for) so I think that could have helped with the dryness. The fries were okay although a bit dry as well.
The hummus was not bad though, although the pita was quite flat and dry too.
My companions also said that their wraps were a little bland.

Ordered Meat Shawarma and Chicken Meatballs. Presentation was nice but with high price, it did not justify the plating quantity. Fried pita chips with hummus was delish, but over all plate was bland.
Customer service was excellent, it’s just that, as food critic, we couldn’t really give 5 stars to the over-​all taste.

Did Stinking Rose decide to open a Peninsula location and name it Taste In Mediterranean Food? We ordered chicken shawarma wraps and the garlic sauce was so potent. It was all we could taste. I could scare a way an army of vampires! The chicken quality was fine, and I liked how it included cabbage, onions and tomatoes, but again the garlic sauce was overwhelming. I thought it was odd also how their were were potatoes in wraps as well.
I asked for the hot sauce on the side, so not sure if they normally put it in the wraps. The owner told me it’s mild, which it was. I put some in the wrap, but couldn’t taste it over the garlic sauce. It was also watery as opposed to the normal hot sauce paste.
Overall, I would give them another chance, but order something different, perhaps a chicken gyro or salad.

This is my go to Mediterranean restaurant in San Mateo County. The place is pretty casual. Pick up a menu and order at the counter. I really like their combination plates. Wraps are alright but I love putting everything on their pita bread and eating off the platter. Came here yesterday and got the mixed grilled kebab. Was enough to fill the two of us. We got the mixed grilled kebab, which includes lamb, chicken, and kefta. Hummus was so good and plenty to go around with the meat. Lamb was tender and flavorful. Chicken was slightly dry but still good once you mix it in with the tomatoes, cucumbers, and hummus. Wanted to get baklava but was trying to cut down on sugar. I’ll probably reconsider it next time.

My biggest gripe has always been that compared to other Mediterranean places in the area, this place is EXPENSIVE. Seriously, somehow I walk out having spent $ 40+ for food for 2 people, and it hurts my wallet just a little bit. That being said, it’s always so darn good, that one mouthful of their hummus or kabobs convinces me I made the right decision.
THE HIGHLIGHTS.
+ Expensive (but worth it)
+ Very, VERY slow service (even if you call in your order)
+ A rather small location (that gets loud fast)
+ Some of the best hummus that I’ve found on the Peninsula
I’m a little grumpy that our order took from the quoted 30 minutes to over an hour to be done (with other customers ordering and being served before us), and I felt a little guilted into tipping on our to-​go order since I was stared down when I got my bill, but eh, the food made up for it, I guess.

SO GOOD.
My husband and I spent 3 weeks (he spent almost 4) in Israel two years ago. We had Mediterranean food… every… single… day. Hummus on hummus on hummus, breakfast, lunch, dinner. We hadn’t TOUCHED Mediterranean food since 2013.
… Until we came here!
A little hole in the wall place on Broadway. It honestly doesn’t look like much and if our friends hadn’t recommended this place, I would have never walked in. It’s small, dark, and stuffy. (–1 star)
But the food… omg the food. BEST Mediterranean food we’ve had since Israel. The hummus here is BETTER than what we had in Israel. Is that even possible?!
Service is a tad slow, but food is delish. Flavorful and lots of it!

This little family owned restaurant is such a gem! I’d highly recommend it seasoned Mediterranean food lovers or newbies!
You order your food at the counter and they give you a little number for your table. The small, quaint restaurant has plenty of seating options.
The staff brings your food to your table. It’s usually a short wait and the finished product is impressive — fresh and flavorful!
I like to do the combination platter. There’s a whole list of items you can choose from and you pay more for adding items. I usually go with 3 or 4 items:
Sweet Red Beet Salad: this is a light yet filling salad. The beets taste fresh. It’s cooked to perfection — not too mushy.
Veggie Falafel: this is very crunchy and so delish! Best part is that it’s not oily!
Tabouli: the hens gives this salad a refreshing taste.
Mediterranean Style Salad: you can’t go wrong with cucumbers and tomatoes. There’s a splash of lemon to give the salad a little bit of flare.
My husband gets the mixed kabob platter served with humus, salad, rice and pita:
Lamb kabob: the lamb is well seasoned and doesn’t taste gamey.
Chicken Kabob: simple but flavorful and tender.
Kefta Kabob: this is a meatloaf. A marriage of minced meats. Usually made with beef and lamb. So, so good!
Next time, I will leave room for dessert.

After seeing all the rave reviews, I had high expectations dining at this hole in the wall (for the food, not the ambiance). We came in for a late lunch on a Sunday (around 2pm), and half the tables inside were still occupied. You order and pay first, then they bring your food to your table or you can take it to go. Their English isn’t the best, so good luck if you try to customize your order. We tried:
–Lamb Schwarma ($ 8.99,
): Just ok. The meat was a little on the dry side and not as flavorful as I expected. I wouldn’t get this again.
–Pistachio Baklava ($ 2.25,
): Yum, this was delicious, and not too sweet– recommended.
Overall, this wasn’t the best Mediterranean food I’ve had in the Bay Area, and wouldn’t go out of my way to dine here again. Parking is easy during non rush hours since there are plenty of spots (note: You’ll have to pay for parking M-​Sat, 9am-​6pm I believe).