LouLife

Grape Leaf
2217 Frankfort Ave., 897-1774

Louisville has no shortage of quality Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants — Shirazand Al Watan immediately come to mind. During the warm-weather months, I enjoy visiting a third: Grape Leaf, a 14-year-old Cliftonfixture. It’s a laid-back, seat-yourself venue where you can indulge in long-lingering meals while seated at wrought-iron tables in a lovely outdoor garden dining area. An overhead red trellis covered with grape leaves shields the sun, while high wooden privacy fences and large flower-filled terra-cotta pots enhance the relaxing vibe. Be forewarned: The ground is entirely covered in deep large-stone gravel and may prompt some shaky footing (high heels would be an adventure). With the exception of the occasional train passing by — you’ll hear it, but not see it — this peaceful, breezy setting provides a great environment for hanging with friends, which was my mission on a recent Saturday night.

We quickly dismissed the train disruption once our appetizers appeared. Grape Leaf’s starter selection includes Mediterranean staples such as hummus, spanakopita, baba ghanoush and, surprise, grape leaves. Both the hummus ($6) and baba ghanoush ($6.25) purees shared tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice and a healthy dose of garlic on their ingredients lists. Owner Nabil Al-Saba says he goes through 600 pounds of chickpeas per month, and I understood why after tasting the creamy, mellow bl/files/storyimages/of flavors in the hummus. Grilled eggplant, which produces a thinner spread, takes their place in baba ghanoush. Both were a fine first flavor of the meal when accompanied by warm pita bread. Spanakopita ($6.50) arrived in the form of four small phyllo dough triangles stuffed with layers of spinach, feta and spices. The “pastries” were baked until crispy and golden. These flaky triangles came to life when dipped in a cup of tzatziki, a refreshing yogurt and sour cream-based cucumber, garlic and herb sauce.

Al-Saba began his restaurant tenure with the now-defunct PitaPalace, which also held forth on Frankfort Avenue. (Incidentally, Al-Saba’s brother operates Pita Delights on Grinstead Drivein the Highlands.) Last month, Grape Leaf introduced an a la carte menu, from which diners may order smaller appetizer portions or a simple gyro or kebab without the bells and whistles of accompanying sides. A few signature specials, with items like scallops and shrimp with fettuccine or grilled mango salmon, are now on the bill of fare. Brunch favorites such as a goat cheese or smoked salmon omelet are now available all day as well.

Sandwiches run the gamut from chicken shawarma ($9.25), which my fri/files/storyimages/found tasty but messy, to falafel ($7), one of my recent orders. An oversized pita arrived folded into a cone shape, with a layer of wax paper wrapped around it, no doubt foreshadowing the mess factor. The pita enveloped three golf-ball-sized falafel croquettes (a deep-fried mixture of chickpeas, parsley, cilantro and garlic) dressed with fresh cucumber, lettuce, tomato and tahini sauce. While I savored how the flavor contrasts of warm pita and falafel melded with the refreshing veggies and creamy sauce, I found the croquettes themselves to be a bit over-fried, which left behind a burnt aftertaste.

Other choices from the plentiful vegetarian offerings (some of which are also vegan) may make a carnivore take a second look. A vegetarian kabob plate ($11) overflowed with large slices of seasoned and flawlessly grilled balsamic-marinated portobello mushroom, cauliflower, onion, zucchini, carrots and bell peppers. Grape Leaf also succeeds with its lamb dishes, which are presented in many incarnations including shawarma, chop, burger and sausage. The kufta plate ($10.50) presented a combination of minced marinated lamb leg meat, parsley, onions and spices formed into an oblong meatball. Grilled and served sans skewer, this fork-tender entree won me over with its crisped exterior’s char-grilled flavor combined with a juicy interior.

Picture a meatball with handles and you’re close to imagining kibbeh ($12), a traditional Lebanese dish that Al-Saba says is his most time-consuming in preparation. He creates a shell by forming a ball out of minced lamb meat and bulghur wheat. He then carves out the center and packs it with a ground lamb, onion and pine nuts before deep-frying. I found that the bulgur wheat-lamb crust overpowered the delicate stuffing, but the dish maintained a unique taste.

Entrees came with a hummus garnish, warm pita triangles and a choice of rice, as well as a Greek or house salad. I recomm/files/storyimages/ordering the herb vinaigrette dressing on the side, having found that at times it can be poured on too thick. Dried cranberries, almonds and pine nuts appeared in rice, salads and garnishes in a seemingly haphazard fashion. I’m a fan of the ingredients, so it became a pleasant surprise for me. But at times this casualness translated to the service. I always encountered friendly and helpful servers, though I often had to request simple items such as a knife, straw or sweetener.

But that’s a quibble. When Al-Saba opened Grape Leaf 14 years ago, it was a pioneer Middle Eastern restaurant for Louisville. That’s changed, and while others seek pita perfection, the Grape Leaf remains near the forefront.

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