Saturday, August 7, 2021
Small group of nine tonight at Taboon Mediterranean restaurant in the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach. First time here since name change and new owners., They have spruced the place up quite a bit and a much nicer atmosphere. We were seated in a private dining area with a massive table and equally massive chairs and high ceilings. I found the chair more on the uncomfortable side as I have short legs and could not sit all the way back Music was a bit too much. Wish it could have been turned down but it was piped throughout the entire restaurant.
Food was very good and service was good.
Started out with Zahrah - which is fried cauliflower with garlic, cilantro, lemon, sumac and tahini. Very good flavors.
Also had Baba Ghanouj, char grilled eggplant with garlic and tahini sauce. Not big into eggplant but this is tolerable because it is mashed. And the garlic and tahini really help mask the eggplant.
My entree was grilled lamb chops which I asked for rare. Server wrote down medium rare and I got well done. Chops were thin but moist. and good flavor. Almost all "Mediterranean" restaurants I have dined at have the same issue with meat. I like mine rare and they always overcook. Probably a cultural thing. There were two types of rice on the plate along with a house green salad, hummus, pita bread and garlic tahini sauce. Garlic tahini is so good I really should learn to make this. Great spread for all kinds of things.
I rounded out my meal with a very large serving of Pistachio ice cream. which was very good.
Wines brought tonight were a real mixed bag. A couple really were not conducive to middle eastern foods.
I brought a 2014 Longoria, Sta Rita Hills, Blanc de Blanc sparkling. Rick Longoria made this wine for his daughters wedding a few years ago but apparently is was not ready to drink at that time so he has sold it off. Rick said too labor intensive and he would never make a sparkling wine again. Nice wine, a bit on the drier side.
2009 Copain, Anderson Valley, Monument Tree, Pinot Noir - Excellent wine
2019 Carol Shelton, Paso Robles, Coquille Blanc - pleasant drier white wine that I enjoyed
2019 Sycamore Ranch Vineyards and Winery, Santa Ynez Valley, Estelle Vineyards, Grenache - did not taste
2014 Graywacke, Marlborough, Pinot Noir - very pleasant wine
2016 Rocche di Castellerro, Barolo, - did not taste
2019 Studio by Mirval, Provence, Rose - nice
NV Nautilus Cuvee, Marlborough, Sparkling - quite nice, a bit on the drier side
2019 Grath, Sauvignon Blanc - did not taste
2015 Guyomar, Paso Robles, Laity, a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Petite Syrah - good wine with deep. dark flavors
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