Restaurant Review: Kabob Village in Point Loma

Restaurant Review

Open and spacious. All photos by Judi Curry.

Kabob Village
3145 Rosecrans St.
San Diego, CA 92110
619-226-2524

Hours – 11:00am – 10:00pm, all week

Having been the host mother to 503 foreign language students, I am sometimes asked to join them in a meal so that we can talk about what they have accomplished and what their future might bring.

Monica, a student from Korea was with me six years ago and has remained in San Diego while working on obtaining a Bachelor’s degree.  She was so successful that she is now working on a Master’s. We have shared many meals since she left me 5 years ago, and today was a “catch up” on what’s going on in her life.

She left it up to me to decide where to go, and I thought it would be fun to introduce her to food that she has never tried before – hence the Kabob Village – for Greek and Mediterranean food.  We arranged to meet at the restaurant at noon on Sunday.

When I arrived she was already there – the only person in the restaurant except for the delightful server Nasrin, and the cooks.

Hummus

The inside is open and spacious, and wonderful, quiet mood music was playing.  Nasrin asked us if we wanted anything to drink and I ordered an ice tea.  She asked me if unsweetened was okay, and suggested if it wasn’t I might enjoy an “Arnold Palmer”.  Since that is usually my drink of choice I was delighted with the suggestion and it was very tasty.  Monica had a coke.

The menu is quite extensive.  The appetizer section had 11 items, ranging from $4.99 for Samosa or Fried Zucchini to $8.99 for Bulani. (I’ve used the spellings from the menu.)

There were two soups listed on the menu – Lentil and Avgolemeno and both were $3.99.  There are 4 salads, starting at $3.99 for a Shirazi and going up to $7.99 for the Greek Salad.  There are add-ons available also.

There are 8 sandwiches listed starting with five of them for $6.49.  Fries or Greek salad can be added for $2.99.  A Salmon Kabob and/or Lamb Kabob sandwich was $7.99.

Crispy Calamari

There are five “Small Entrees” offered, such as mini chicken kabobs, mini salmon kabobs, mini koobidah kabobs, etc.  They range from $9.99-$12.99, and all come with white or brown basmati rice, tzatsiki sauce, pita bread, and choice of Greek salad or soup.  They also have rice upgrades – Kabuli Palaw or zereshk chalaw for $2 more.

For those of you that want a vegetarian meal, there are five listed, beginning at $9.99 and going up to $28.99 for the Vegetarian Chef’s Village Special – made for two people; delicious gourmet combination sample serving their most popular vegetarian dishes.

I’m not done yet.

On the Entrée section of the menu there are 13 items listed beginning with a marinated chicken leg plate for $11.99 and range in price up to the Supersize Combination Plate, which is a combination of three skewers, once chicken breast, one ground sirloin and one filet mignon. That cost is $18.99.

Samosa

And if that is not enough food for you, there is one more special for two – Chefs Village Combination Plate for $29.99 which combines a sample serving of their most popular dishes.  All of the entrees come with white or brown basmati rice, tzatziki sauce, pita bread, and choice of a Greek salad or soup.  The special upgrades are also available.

The “side” menu has six items listed, beginning with Pita Bread for $1.99 and including Chutney Yogurt, Hummus, Basmati Rice, etc.

What would a restaurant be without desserts?  There are 4 listed, with Baklava and Ferni at $2.99 and Tiramisu and Chocolate Moose Cake at $3.99.  (The spelling of “Moose” is taken right from the menu.)

There are 12 beverages offered; ten beers; and 9 wines.  Whew!

So … what did Monica and I decide to order?  Believe me it was a very difficult decision.  We asked Nasrin for some suggestions and finally ordered several items from the Appetizer menu – Hummus – $6.99; Crispy Calamari – $7.99 and Samosa – $4.99.  Monica ordered the Mousaka Plate – $13.99, that was made with layers of eggplant, potato, cheese and ground beef, topped with creamy baked béchamel sauce. It came with a salad – she could have ordered soup – and a very tasty salad dressing.

Mousaka Plate

We received the hummus and pita bread first, and the bread was warm; the hummus cold.  A delightful taste to the hummus and presented beautifully.  Then came the calamari, and it was, truly, very crispy.  The cucumber sauce that came with it was light and tasty.  We were served the Samosa – two of them stuffed with seasoned potatoes, coriander, green peas, carrots and spices and it was served with their chutney/yogurt sauce.   By the time Monica was served her Mousaka we were full!

I have to point out that I am not a fan of eggplant.  In fact, I really don’t like it at all, but the Mousaka was delicious.  So delicious that I might even order it again.  The béchamel sauce was so tasty; we almost wished there was more of it.  Needless to say, Monica took home her leftovers, as did I.

Nasrin was an excellent server.  She filled our glasses when they were empty; she asked up if everything was okay.  She even suggested that we go to a larger table because the one that we sat at was so small and our plates were large.  We did not want to trouble her any more so stayed where we were.  While there four other parties came in and asked her if they were busy during the weekdays.  She said they’re slower on Sunday, but kept busy during the day.

And … just an aside that has nothing to do with the review – Nasrin is taking the Citizenship test on Tuesday.  (She is from Iran (Persia) and not a young person!)  Monica and I wished her great success with the test and I may check back with her to see how she did.  A single mother with 4 children!

The total of the bill was $45.32 plus a tip.  Would we go back? Without question.  I want to try the Spanakopita; the  Taboli;  the Mini Koobidah Kabob; and ALL of the desserts.  Any time you want to join me let me know!!