Buffalo Rising Online

Feb 20th 2006, 1:33pm By hippiegrrl

Buffalo has a wonderful tradition of Greek cuisine, but rarely will you find an establishment that serves such an extensive menu of Mediterranean dishes. Shish Kabob, Hummous, Sharwarma, Fatoosh. These are some of the Lebanese delights that awaited us at our Wednesday night destination, the Sahara Grill.

As you step inside, you get a sense of being transported to a relaxing, Mediterranean environment. Soft Middle Eastern music plays in the background, complementing the warm greens and reds covering the walls. The center of the dining room is highlighted by a palm tree dusting the ceiling with its leaves. A separate idelii area is just to the left of the main entrance and the doorway between the two is reminiscent of the Casbah feel throughout.

Our seats in the back corner were perfect for taking in the full expanse of the establishment, while removing us from the hustle and bustle of Elmwood Avenue. On Friday and Saturday nights you can witness some of the best belly dancers in the Buffalo area while enjoying the tasty dishes.

If you are looking for smoothies of all kinds, Sahara has what you crave. With over 10 combinations to choose from, you are sure to find something delightful to compliment any meal. This will definitely be a great summertime destination if you are in the mood to cool off with a yummy drink.

A variety of appetizers are offered with many favourites, such as Hummous with Veggies ($5.99), Falafel Plate ($5.99) or Baba Ghanooj ($4.49). We decided to forego the appetizer and dive directly into the main courses.

The Lemon Chicken Rice Soup ($2.79) was a tasty combination of rice and shredded chicken, bathed in a lemon broth with a hint of garlic. A house salad was presented with toasted dill pita chips replacing the standard croutons and a tangy, yet light, homemade fatoosh dressing.

Our main courses arrived and we quickly realized that leftovers would be a certainty. The Almond Garlic Rice Ghallaba ($11.99) was well worth the price. Piled high with rice, chicken, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli and sautEed in a light garlic sauce topped off with toasted almond slices, this dish proved to be quite filling. The Zesty Ranch Chicken Sandwich ($6.99) was surprisingly unique, consisting of a grilled chicken filet and topped with ranch dressing and sautEed onions. A side of french fries complimented this tasty sandwich.

If you have a large enough party you can go all out and spring for the Sahara Feast ($59.99) which offers a sampling of nearly everything on the menu. Serving 4-6 people, it includes Fatoosh Salad, Tabbouli, Hummous, Baba Ghanooj, Falafel, Grape Leaves, Fried Kibble, Sambosa, Shish Kabobs, Shish Tawook, Shish Kafta, Rice and Grilled Vegetables and is certain to satisfy everyone in your party.

We did save room for dessert and it did not disappoint. The Rice Pudding ($2.99) was piled high in a long neck glass while the mini Baklava ($.99 each) were presented with a sprinkling of bright green sugar crystals. A beautiful ending to a satisfying meal.

Overall, the Sahara Grill proved to be a great choice for an inexpensive and delightful dinner for two. It will definitely be a future destination for us when we crave great Mediterranean Lebanese food for a price that makes our bank accounts smile. Try if out n you will thank us for the recommendation.

Sahara Grill 976 Elmwood Avenue Buffalo NY 14222 716-885-0200 Casual Dining Hours: Sunday-Saturday 11am-10pm