Middle feast

El Basha is bigger and still the best

by Margaret LeRoux

El Basha 424 Belmont Street Worcester 797-0884 Lunch Mon.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner Mon.-Sat. 4:30-10 p.m. MC, Visa BYOB Handicap accessible

I have never been to Lebanon, but thanks to the Salhat family I've come to appreciate its cuisine. The Salhats opened El Basha on the corner of Lake Street and Route 9 nine years ago. And the restaurant quickly developed a following among the staff at UMass Medical Center, which is across the street. Word also spread throughout Worcester that this was the place for kibbee, shawarma, falafel, and a host of other Middle Eastern dishes.

I've enjoyed dining at El Basha in the past, though as the popularity of the small restaurant grew, it was sometimes an overwhelming experience. Imagine eating in the midst of a crowded Lebanese bazaar: hungry customers impatiently waiting for tables; frantic-looking waiters wending their way through a maze of tables, with platters of lamb, chicken, and vegetables; the phone incessantly ringing with take-out requests. El Basha on a busy Saturday night was an experience.

Over the past few months El Basha has expanded, adding a pleasant, airy dining room -- its cream colored walls and high ceiling crowned with an elaborate crystal chandelier. On a recent work-day night (I haven't yet worked up the courage to try another weekend), the room was almost full. But the frantic atmosphere was gone, the waiters were smiling. Service was prompt and friendly.

Our party of four quickly decided on two of our favorite appetizers, stuffed grape leaves ($4.95) and tabbouleh ($4.75). We also selected one we had not tried before, labneh ($2.50), described as homemade yogurt cheese spread. It tasted like a cross between unflavored yogurt and whipped cream cheese. Served with a basket of sliced pita bread, it was a good accompaniment to the other two appetizers. El Basha's tabbouleh is my favorite among other versions I've had in Worcester restaurants. Parsley is the main ingredient, bolstered by a little fine-grain bulgur, chopped tomatoes, onions, lots of lemon juice, and a little oil . One of my companions prefers a drier version of tabbouleh, but I vote for the wet ones. The grape leaves -- six fat, cigar-shaped leaves rolled tightly around a mixture of rice, chick peas, and onions -- were very lemony.

Each one in our group -- all El Basha fans -- has a favorite dish. On nights when we've ordered take-out from the restaurant, we sampled freely from the containers; tonight each of us focused on our own choice. I had to practically beg for samples and am happy to report the exotic flavors are still there in full force.

One of my companions selected lahem mishwee ($8.95), chunks of lamb, marinated and char-broiled, served on a bed of rice with charred onions, peppers, and a tomato half. The lamb was as ordered (medium rare) and tender enough to cut with a fork; a good value for the price.

Another companion discovered chicken Port Saiid ($9.95) a few visits ago, and ever since has refused to order anything else. A generous serving of chicken-breast pieces are sautéed with sliced, fresh mushrooms, lemon juice, and, according to our waiter, "11 different spices." The chicken is served over a rather bland rice pilaf, but the spices gave this dish an unexpected complexity; and they stood up quite well to the dominant lemon flavor.

My third companion opted for kafta kabob ($7.95) -- a mixture of meat, parsley, onions, and spices grilled with peppers, tomatoes, and onions -- and served on rice pilaf. It, too, was tender, and the meat flavor dominated the herbs and spices.

My favorite is shawarma ($7.95), boneless chicken breast sautéed with garlic and tart, cherry-colored sumac, and coated with a rich tahini dressing. Sumac is the unusual flavor here; made from ground sumac berries, it's sour and fruity without the acidic taste of lemon. Chicken shawarma is served over a mixture of lettuce, tomatoes, and onions -- almost a salad, and an exotic one at that.

In the past we've enjoyed both baked kibbee ($6.95) -- ground beef mixed with bulgur -- and falafel ($5.95), a ground mixture of five beans, spiced with parsley, onions, and mint, shaped into patties and browned in olive oil.

For dessert, we shared a piece of baklava ($1.50), thin and crispy layers of phyllo dough stuffed with a thick filling of chopped nuts and drizzled with honey. And we also tried the rice pudding ($1.95), thick, creamy, and perfumed with orange-flower water.

It was an exotic culinary experience for a very practical price of $57.68, not including tip.