Get a taste of the Middle East at Mazzika

I walked through the door of Mazzika and was transported back to the Middle East - but without enduring the numbing 14-hour plane trip. Stepping into the restaurant at the northern end of Norfolk's Colley Avenue, I was struck by the sweet, fruity smell of the hookah, and the subtly different smells of food and spices.

The decor is very basic. Long, low couches adorned with cushions and set on a black concrete floor provide the majority of seating. Plaster walls painted red and white, dark open ceilings, a bit of tile work, and the large-screen TV playing hip-hop videos reminded me of numerous lounges set up to serve drinks in out-of-the-way hotels throughout the Arab world.

While there were some regular tables and chairs in the front of the restaurant, we opted for reclining on the couches and pulling up a few low tables. I love the communal style of eating with friends overseas, so we ordered a few mazza appetizers and a couple of entrees for the table to share.

The smoky, grilled overtones of the baba ghanouj ($4.49) were lovely. The pureed roasted eggplant, mixed with a touch of lemon and olive oil, had a satisfying taste. The only drawback was the bread, which left me wanting the fresh piles of flatbreads I was accustomed to enjoying with Middle Eastern meals.

The surprise hit was the soujouk ($5.99). Slices of this spicy sausage were grilled and served with a yogurt dipping sauce. Even a guest who is not a meat fan loved the combination of ground meat, cumin, sumac, garlic and hot red peppers.

The tabbouleh ($4.66), served on crisp leaves of lettuce, was also popular. This tasty salad of chopped parsley, tomatoes, onion and bulgur wheat went very quickly.

Rounding out the mazza was dolma ($4.99), a classic dish of grape leaves stuffed with rice and steamed until they are tender. It was a solid rendition.

Our first entree was the mixed grill ($20.49), which provided a nice sample of meats. The lamb and beef kebabs were tender and done to perfection. The chicken of the shish tawouki was nicely marinated and very moist. I enjoyed the kefta - sort of a meatball of ground meat, spices and wheat grilled on a stick. Yogurt and garlic-based dipping sauces provided nice accompanying flavor.

My disappointment of the night was the lamb shawarma platter ($14.99). Based on the menu, I was expecting slices of lamb shawarma, served over rice, and accompanied by tomatoes, pickles, hummus and olives. We received what I believe was the lamb shawarma wrap ($8.49), which was served in a folded piece of flat bread. The price difference was noticeable, but the major drawback was the lack of flavor and slight greasiness of the lamb.

We finished the evening by sharing a couple of desserts. I had my taste buds set on the knefeh ($4.99), but they were out of this combination of phyllo with sweet cheese, rosewater and pistachios. We opted instead for a plain cheesecake ($3.99) which was good, but not anything special. The generous slice of baklava ($3.99) made the entire table happy with its mixture of nuts and honey baked between layers of phyllo dough. The only drawback is that I was looking forward to the pistachio baklava identified in the menu, and was a touch disappointed with the walnut version that appeared at the table.

Service was pleasant but slow. Our waitress was in training, and the kitchen area is separate from the part of the building where the restaurant sits. She made up for it with a smile and pleasant attitude.

Overall, Mazzika reminded me of simple places I have eaten in the Middle East, where the food isn't fancy but neighborhood friends gather to have a smoke, a drink and a good bite to eat in the evening hours.

Jerry Cronin, flavor@pilotonline.com