What's Cookin'

WHAT'SCOOKIN'

WITH MATT LAINE

KABOB XPRESS

3305 N GREEN RIVER RD EVANSVILLE, IN

This place had some big shoes to fill because I was a huge fan of another local Middle Eastern spot in town that unfortunately closed down. I haven’t actually tried other Middle Eastern eateries of late because I was still mourning the loss of Oasis Cafe. But after passing through all the stages of grief, I was ready to move on and find another great place to frequent - which turned out to be Kabob Xpress. The food always looks stunning when I see pictures, and it met my expectations in spectacular fashion. I actually tried it twice, once alone to make sure my wife would enjoy it, and then again with the family. This is how the whole experience went for us.

The place was extraordinarily clean and inviting. The smells alone will almost lift you up and guide you right to the counter to place an order. We took time to really check out the menu and see what all they had to offer. I have to say there are so many things I still want to try here, but my stomach is only so big and there will be other trips. As we were discussing what we wanted, the owners were helping us by explaining food items and some good flavor combinations, which always helps when trying out a new place. As we made our final decisions, we apologized in advance because we ordered rice for our daughter despite how messy she can be with certain foods. The owners weren’t bothered by it at all and just told us to enjoy it. As we found a table we started looking at all the retail items they have for sale, and I have to say that small service and decor really go a long way in making you feel like you are in a place further away from Evansville. Once done perusing the retail part of the store our appetizer was ready which was just the introduction to the symphony of flavors about to dance on our taste buds.

For an appetizer, we ordered the Hummus Platter. For entrées, my wife and daughter each had the Chicken Shawarma and I had the Shish Tawook. The hummus was a simple presentation with some spices and oils that are typically found in the Middle East. The pita was perfectly cooked and not too crunchy making it a beautiful dipping vessel for the hummus. As the Chicken Shawarma came off the grill, the smell permeated the entire restaurant, surely enticing the other patrons. The cumin and

turmeric were prevalent in the smells and tastes, and there wasn’t too much of a kick to it, which was fine for my wife and daughter as they were looking for explosive flavors without the fire from the spiciness. My daughter did enjoy her rice, by the way, and my wife had rice and grilled veggies, which she also enjoyed. (She did say she wished there were more veggies that came with the side, as it was mostly onions.) My Shish Tawook was very similar to the Chicken Shawarma, but it's made with dark meat and packs more of a punch in the heat department. I loved every bite. My sides were rice and a salad, and I must mention the salads because they were absolutely majestic, as if taken from the Garden of Eden - the utterly perfect balance of crunch, cheese, oils, and garden veggies.

So there we were as a family, all doing happy dances in our seats and then…they surprised us by bringing out some naan to try with our meals. This bread was crafted by the gods using the clouds above Mount Olympus, I can only assume. The best way I can describe it is that it has a garlic bread type flavor but is fluffy almost like a slightly grilled cotton candy. When you bite through the slight crunch on the outside, you find this heavenly light bread that goes perfect with everything. And believe me, I tried it with everything, and it just made it all taste even better (I didn’t know there was another step up). This meal was very filling, but we finished probably 90% of everything because it all just tasted so good. Next time you are in the mood to try something new, go to Kabob Xpress!

I must mention the salads because they were absolutely majestic, as if taken from the Garden of Eden - the utterly perfect balance of crunch, cheese, oils, and garden veggies.