Not long ago I had the pleasure of introducing three lunch companions to Middle Eastern food. They looked at the menu with trepidation. None had ever eaten falafel or shawarma; one was following a strict low-carb, low-fat, high- protein diet; another was a vegetarian.
Everyone went home happy that day, which is the beauty of Mideast cuisine. It offers many options for those who don’t eat meat or dairy, while a calorie-watching person can fashion a fine meal of chicken or shrimp.
Spice lovers can sit at the same table as those who prefer simple flavors, and children and other sweets lovers enjoy fruit drinks like mango and strawberry lemonades, and a range of luscious desserts. Small plates encourage sampling and sharing.
Sultan Grill offers all these options and more. The restaurant sits in a Safeway shopping center on the southwest corner of West 64th Avenue and Ward Road in Arvada. The space is enlivened with bead lamps, and tapestries cover the tables.
Syrian and Lebanese cuisine is featured here, including some dishes not often found on Middle Eastern menus in metro Denver.
Take moussaka ($9.95), which at Sultan is far different from the eggplant-meat-and- bechamel concoction found in Greek restaurants. While just as hearty, Sultan’s moussaka is vegetarian, featuring cubes of eggplant, zucchini, onions and green pepper, slow-baked in a garlicky tomato sauce. Other variations are harira ($4.25), a Moroccan soup with lentils, chickpeas and lamb; and a tangy yogurt drink ($2.25).
All the grilled meats are exceptional. Standouts include lamb kabob ($11.95) marinated in a complex tomato-and- spice blend and charbroiled to seal in juices, and chicken barg ($11.95), a combination of breast meat and kafta (meatballs) marinated with saffron, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and onions.
Combo plates prove a great way to sample this cuisine. Order the King Combo ($14.95) and get plenty to share: three kabobs plus falafel, creamy lemon-flavored hummus, the smoky roasted eggplant dip baba ghanouj, tabbouleh and stuffed grape leaves, plus rice and pita bread.
Fatouch salad ($4 if ordered separately) comes before the entrée, but it’s entirely worth skipping: wan lettuce and tomatoes drenched in a pale vinaigrette dressing. The tabbouleh ($4.25) was similarly bland. Entrees come with white rice sprinkled with sumac, not exactly inspiring except as a vehicle to sop up those tasty meat juices.
So skip the rice and save the calories for dessert. Besides a chewy-crisp pistachio baklava ($2.95), choose from kunafeh, layers of shredded filo dough filled with ricotta cheese ($2.95); Syrian pudding topped with coconut (small $1.99, large $3.25); ladyfingers stuffed with ground cashews ($2.95); or nammura, a mix of semolina flour, coconut, rosewater, cinnamon and walnuts soaked in sweet syrup and topped with almonds ($2.95).
Sultan Grill
Middle Eastern|12650 W. 64th Ave., Arvada, 303-463-5333, sultangrill.com$4-$14.95|11 a.m.-10 p.m., Monday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday.
Front burner: Moist and tender kabobs and other grilled meats.
Back burner: So-so salads and sides
