Copyright syracuse.com
Liverpool, N.Y. — Skewers of beef, chicken and lamb grill over hardwood charcoal behind the counter at The Kabob House, filling the small, wood-paneled dining room with the smoky, savory smells of meat and flame. Only a few steps away is the smoothie station, where bunches of bananas hang from either side of a wooden post and pineapples, mangoes, oranges, kiwi, plums, lemons and other fruit are stacked in the front of the counter, line overhead shelves, hang from nets above the counter and fill seemingly every other nook and cranny in the space. The Kabob House, which opened at 409 Tulip St. in the former Pizza Villa location in the village of Liverpool in 2022, is almost like two establishments in one, each side worthy of a visit independently of the other. Owner Malik Aboshreakh hails from Jordan and the menu is largely pan-Arab, with starters like hummus, baba ghanouj, tabouleh salad and other mezze, and a variety of grilled meats, offered as wraps and as a platter with rice and salad. The role of hummus in the American diet has grown from a niche product one might find in a health food store into a nearly $4 billion global industry that’s found in practically every supermarket in America. You’ll find dozens of varieties of hummus at your local grocery store these days, but there’s still no substitute for a proper scratch-made hummus like they serve at Kabob House ($10), a velvety dip smoother and creamier than anything you’d find in a plastic tub. Kabob House’s version is particularly heavy on tahini, imparting a nutty, lightly bitter flavor. Just rip off a piece of the warm, house-baked pita and drag it through the hummus, making sure to get a little bit of the chopped fresh parsley, olive oil and ground sumac that topped the plate. Stuffed grape leaves ($9 for six) were filled with a lemony rice mixture, complemented by a bit of sweetness from the pomegranate molasses drizzled on top. I’m always a proponent of sharing meals at restaurants. Sometimes that takes the shape of swapping bites with the rest of my party, or, when appropriate, ordering a bunch of communal starters and entrees and digging in. Not only does it align with my philosophy that food is best enjoyed shared, but also because it’s the most practical way to enjoy as much of the menu as possible. At Kabob House, this takes the form of the Kabob House Mix, available as an individual combo platter, a small platter to split between two diners, and the biggest of them all, a heaping platter built for five diners ($125) that nearly covered our entire table. The feast was a sight to be seen. Four lamb chops, three grilled lamb shish kabobs, four grilled chicken kabobs, three beef kofta and three chicken kofta kabobs, the latter of which are made with the respective ground meats mixed with herbs and spices and pressed around long, flat skewers. The meats were served on a veritable mountain of seasoned long-grain rice alongside grilled tomatoes, onion, grilled jalapeños, raw onion tossed in sumac and warm pita slathered in tomato and pepper sauce. We had to borrow the restaurant’s high chair with a server’s platter perched on top to hold the two bowls of green salad, tossed in a lemony vinaigrette, that came with the meal. The lamb, marinated in what tasted like a mix of garlic, olive oil, black pepper, allspice and other warm spices, was tender, even though it was cooked closer to well-done. Thankfully, there were only four of us, so we didn’t have to fight over the lamb chops, a highlight of the platter. The chicken, marinated in a similar marinade that had less spice and perhaps more lemon, was similarly delectable. The kofta, with a texture akin to a meatball, required only the side of the fork to cut. The secret to the success lies not in the innovation of the straightforward ingredients, but in the cooking technique itself. There’s no substitute for the open brick pit grill, the hardwood lump charcoal at various stages of black, ashy white and roaring orange, the hiss of meat juices as they drip onto the coals below, returning a burst of smoke back up to the meat. It’s nothing my propane grill at home could ever do. All the meat drippings soaked into the rice, which meant none of that delicious flavor went to waste. The baklava ($8 for three pieces) was kept chilled, which meant the usually flaky phyllo dough was hard and the layered pastry fell apart while cutting a bite. A key component in the viral Dubai chocolate trend, kadayif is having quite the moment. The crispy, shredded pastry is also key to kunefah, a warm dessert of melted mozzarella-style cheese topped with the kadayif and soaked in a sweet syrup flavored with rose water. I had my first taste of kunefah (also spelled kunefe and kunefa, among other variations) in Istanbul, where the dessert was often served in the same shallow metal dish it was cooked in, the syrup around the edge still bubbling and the pull of the melted cheese as impressive as you’ll find on any pizza. So my bar might be unreasonably high and while Kabob House’s version didn’t have the same cheesiness that I’ve come to expect, the flavor was still there. Then there are the smoothies. At $12 a pop, they’re not the cheapest, but unlike a fast-food smoothie made with a syrupy mix and ice, these are nothing but fruit — unless you’re feeling indulgent and went for the Nutella, Oreo and peanut butter smoothie, that is. Not only are the smoothies filled up to the brim of the domed lid, but the wide straw doubles as a skewer for a kabob of fresh fruit that garnishes each smoothie. Our mango, peach and strawberry smoothie was topped with slices of watermelon and honeydew, each garnished with exactly half a purple and a green grape. At Kabob House, even the garnishes have garnishes. Then came a slice of plum, a half a banana and a slice of strawberry pointing from the top like the star on a Christmas tree. Thin slices of strawberries and kiwi were stuck to the side walls of the cup like pressed flowers behind a pane of glass. I’ve never had a smoothie before that so closely bordered on a work of art. The Kabob House is every bit as good for a smoothie or a takeout shawarma wrap as it is for a leisurely sit-down meal —even if fitting the giant family-sized platter at the table took some creative rearranging. Grilled meat might seem simple, but Kabob House is doing it really, really well. The Details The Restaurant: The Kabob House, 409 Tulip St., Liverpool Takeout/Delivery? Yes, online ordering for takeout and delivery is available on the restaurant’s website, thekabobhousecny.com, or by calling (315) 314-7171. Reservations? No Credit cards? Yes, with 4% added surcharge. Noise level: Moderate. A TV playing music overlooks the dining room. The open kitchen contributes some noise. Accessibility: The restaurant is located on street level with a parking lot. The booth seating is a bit tight and the dining room is on the smaller side. Parking: Private off-street lot and free street parking. Special diets? Plenty of vegetarian options. Cauliflower crust also available for pizzas. Children’s menu? No, but plenty of kid-friendly options. Hours: Open daily, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Cost: Dinner for four, with shared starters, shared combo platter, shared desserts and non-alcoholic beverages, tax, 4% credit card surcharge and 20% tip, was $241.26.
