Mezeh

Review! East Coast Chain, United States // Mediterranean Fast Casual Restaurant // bang-for-your-buck healthy and delicious

the ELEVATOR PITCH

When you’re single and ready to mingle but are met with a constant slew of bad dates where people misrepresent themselves and don’t meet your standards, or you’re swimming in a pool where the fish aren’t even worth your time, the dating scene can get frustrating and discouraging even for the most confident of people. Unsupervised, your thoughts venture into doom and gloom, cynically concluding that you may be single forever and there is just no life partner out there for you.

Eating out and finding a restaurant that meets all of your needs can feel like a similar rollercoaster. At least, that’s how I feel! (comment a hand raise “🙋‍♀️” if you are in this boat!) For me, when I’m lacking kitchen creativity, not feeling like running to the grocery store, or just wanting to eat out, it’s almost just as difficult to figure out where to eat at. I not only have a rather long list of preferences, but I have also been burned too many times with false advertisement that I’ve almost lost hope in the restaurant scene around me altogether.

(yes yes, I’m being just a little dramatic, but it’s not fun endlessly scrolling Google, Yelp, Instagram, etc. for options just to be met with subpar results!)

But I’m here to tell you that hope is not lost! The glass is half full! Life is beautiful! Just like steadfastly holding on tight while riding the rollercoaster of dating, there is bound to be one day when the rollercoaster ends and you come across “the one you want to spend the rest of your life with,” and that is Mezeh for me in the dining-out world (don’t worry, Viva Chicken, you are a close second if not tied, it just depends on my mood).

So yes, after days and weeks and months of keeping my bar high and not letting my standards slip, I’ve found my go-to, ride-or-die, default eating out candidate (whenever feasible), that I would campaign every city to have. Mezeh has truly checked all of my boxes:

1. Healthy, but not one of those overpriced salads that really isn’t that healthy with its zero-nutritional-value-lettuce that still leaves me hungry afterwards (i.e., Chopped 👀)

2. Good portions, but isn’t trying to compensate by giving me lots of rice and empty carbs that leaves me feeling skimped of veggies and protein (i.e., CAVA 👀)

3. Great flavor, but isn’t hiding not-good-for-you fats and ingredients in their sauces and dressings (i.e., Chick-Fil-A salads 👀)

4. Affordable prices, but isn’t the fast food restaurant down the street or like other build-your-own Mediterranean chains that upcharge me for every little thing (i.e., Yafo, CAVA 👀)

5. Great value, one could argue you could make these bowls at home, but for the variety of from-scratch toppings I can add, that’d be so much work!

Now that you’re convinced to go, you can expect a Chipotle-style customization bar of food options when you order, and an interior dining atmosphere that is rich and vibrant with flamboyant colors and patterns. (the jars of pickled somethings and dry goods may make you feel like you’re in a mad scientist’s laboratory, but if freshly made food requires mad scientist energy, I’m here for it)

You’ll find Mezeh locations on the United States’ East Coast, and mainly in the D.C., Maryland, Virginia region (fortunately, we have two in Charlotte, NC), and I’m hoping they’ll keep spreading like wildfire once the good news hits more ears!

Now onto reviewing what we tried from the menu~

the bowl as a whole is obviously 10/10

Reviews on the munchies pictured above:

Chicken Kebab: my favorite protein to choose because (1) you wouldn’t believe how moist and tender this is, for such a fast casual restaurant! (2) The chicken is also packed with flavor and comes with a handful of sauteed quartered veggies with it, and (3) no extra charge. I love it extra much when the batch is more charred too :) (rating: 10/10)

Chicken Shawarma: the staff will always explain to you that this is the “spicy” one (to be honest, it’s not that spicy). It’s night and day compared with the chicken kebab—it’s pretty dry, and kind of bland? I tried it once and rarely consider trying it again. (rating: 2/10)

👉 Fresh pita: every time I bite into this I’m always shocked at how pillowy soft this is. There’s a nice chew to it too! Great paired with any of the saucy sides or turning a bowl into a mini pita pocket sandwich. (rating: 8/10)

👉 Falafel: a satisfying exterior crunch that quickly gives in to a moist, well-seasoned & deliciously herby interior that is kind of fall-apart tender. (rating: 8.5/10)

Turkish Pide: expectations were not set straight on this menu item… the picture on the app is so misleading (featured on the far right)! It made me think of the lahmacun that changed my life in Berlin from Asude Yemek Dünyasi 🤤 so I had to order it… you can imagine I was pretty disappointed when I saw it looked like a normal American flatbread. Once the disappointment was conquered though, I had to admit that the flavor was pretty good, and that it inspired me to try the steak shawarma next time! (rating according to expectations: 1/10; rating as an American flatbread: 8.5/10)

Cheese & Sausage Pizza: essentially almost the same toppings as the Turkish Pide, but since the lamb kefta that is used as the “sausage” was sort of dry and not that enjoyable, I wouldn’t order this again. (rating: 4/10)

Mezeh has fed me on road trips, fresh off the plane and starving, the normal every day I-don’t-feel-like-cooking days, and even on my wedding day!! It may take a couple of visits for you to find your groove on what to order (the perks and pitfalls of having so many options!), but once you do (and I have faith that you will), you won’t be able to go back to life B.M. (Before Mezeh). They’re super moldable to any dietary season you are in, so go forth and fearlessly craft your own colorful food adventure! And share with me how it goes :)

example of on-the-road mezeh

the RÉSUMÉ

address // featured: 4920 Old Sardis Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211 (specific review for this location: we’ve been consistently coming for over 2 years now and it seems something is always out of order—whether it be the water machine, the bathroom, the flatbread oven, the app scanner, etc. While this is definitely inconvenient, the food is still quality and amazing so we haven’t been deterred!)

⭐ multiple locations, mainly in Virginia, Maryland, D.C., New Jersey, New York, Pennyslvania, North Carolina

operations // every day, 10:30 AM - 10:00 PM

logistics // free parking typically offered in the parking lot outside the storefronts

amenities //

• 2 public bathrooms

• no WiFi or outlets

• family friendly

• outdoor seating available, so can be pet friendly

• accessible (i.e., well-lit, tables with wheelchair seating available, etc.)

• loyalty program available; with an app/phone number

• catering options offered

• the staff at both Charlotte locations seem to have limited English proficiency, just something to be mindful of!

vibes // colorful Moroccan-style decor that gives a casual air (probably not suitable for fancy occasions or serious business meetings, but you do you)

• they provide real plates/bowls/etc. if you’re dining in

menu // vegetarian/vegan & allergen-friendly, digital menu lists dietary specifications

• beverages: juice (tractor beverage co.), tea (Teatulia), sparkling water (SANPELLEGRINO), soda (Coca-Cola products)

  ⭐ juices & tea are organic

• entrées ($11.50 - $18.50): rice/salad/build-your-own bowls; pita pocket/wraps; flatbread/pizzas

  ⭐ protein options: falafel, chicken shawarma & kebab, steak shawarma, lamb kefta, shredded lamb

  ⭐ meats are halal certified

• sides/appetizers: hummus, baba ganoush, tzatziki, spicy feta

  ⭐ you are able to get any of their toppings as a side portion

• desserts: chocolate baklava, classic honey baklava, chocolate chip cookie

recs // build-your-own bowl will definitely give you the most filling portions and the most bang for your buck; but their flatbreads are pretty darn cheesy and delicious, so give that a try if you want to switch it up and aren’t super ravenous.

• key items I always love in my bowl: spinach & arugula, chicken kebab, caramelized eggplant, pickled beets

• for dressings/sauces:

  • harissa = mildly spicy, feels balanced out with cream

  • s’hug = VERY spicy! A little of this goes a long way for me

site // mezeh

~ cath!!