MUNJED’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

dining out

by KeRILyN e. MICaLe

Munjed’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Lounge

I truly believe that good food nourishes both your body and your soul. If you feel the same, or hey – even if you just feel hungry – I have to recommend a trip to Munjed’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Lounge. They are conveniently located in the Westcott neighborhood at 505 Westcott Street in Syracuse, centrally located near Syracuse University, Le Moyne College, the hospital campuses and downtown Syracuse. They are open Tuesday through Sunday and they are always serving amazing food made using only the best and freshest ingredients around! Here is a bit of great news: there are so many ways to enjoy everything Munjeds has to offer! Their dining room is open, you can place a phone order for pick up (at (315) 425-0366), order in person for pick up, or even have it delivered right to your door with Doordash or Grubhub! Since their opening in 1984, you can always find good food and good people at Munjed’s – always!

“Spread Hommus, Not Hate” is a simple, yet powerful and authentic phrase that you can find on some of their merch! One of my favorite aspects about Munjed’s is that they have really leaned into this idea of “simple yet powerful.” The “simple” idea behind the food is to serve only the highest quality items, using generations of cooking knowledge, and serving authentic and delicious meals that everyone can enjoy! And, I do mean everyone. Every single dish is made from scratch so your dietary needs are absolutely considered; they offer gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, and Halal specialties. The “simple” idea behind the restaurant is to take a great location, continue to impress

“When I placed the order I had the neighborhood, and create a place that people want mentioned that my son and I weren’t to be. I would say that they nailed this! The atmosphere at Munjed’s has got to be one of my favorite vibes in feeling so great and my heart just Syracuse. It is warm and inviting but also tasteful and aesthetically elegant. At Munjed’s they have curated an melted when I opened the order to atmosphere where you could bring a date, a girl’s night out, or even a family dinner to introducing little ones to find a note wishing us well with two international cuisine. This atmosphere seems to have been hand drawn flowers.” cultivated by their trademark of “good food, good people, always.” Kyle and I were looking forward to a night out at Munjed’s because we just love going there, enjoying awesome food, and (if I’m being honest) quietly eavesdropping on other tables’ conversation because the crowd is usually an interesting mix of people. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way but since the pandemic we have all learned to be much more flexible so we ended up getting Munjed’s to go and enjoyed at home. When I placed the order I had mentioned that my son and I weren’t feeling so great and my heart just melted when I opened the order to find a note wishing us well with two hand drawn flowers. It really is the little things that get us through the day, isn’t it? If the artist/author of the note is reading this – thank you! I appreciated you! We started our meal with a Mazza platter that included Hommus, Garden Salad, Feta Cheese & Olives, Babaganouj, Falafels, Tabouli Salad, Grape Leaves, Tzatziki, and Greek Salad. The babaganouj (puree of charbroiled eggplant, tahini, lemon and garlic) was creamy and smoky and fantastic (especially topped with the feta and olives) and the falafel (mildly spiced, fried chickpea patties) was crunchy and perfectly fried (not at all greasy) and absolute perfection when dipped in the Tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber and garlic dip). The hommus was also exceptional, even though I only had one bite before my 2 year old decided to eat it with a spoon! For an entree Kyle had the Sultan’s Mixed Grill which includes: kifta kabob skewer, chicken, and grilled shrimp served with rice, falafel patties, hommus, salad, pita, toom, and hot sauces. This combo was truly a little bit of everything