Mediterranean heaven

So, Daniel and I have a new favorite place to eat. It's called Anita's Kitchen and it's got the best falafel we've had in the area, not to mention being walking distance from our house -- at the corner of Woodward Avenue and Saratoga Street.

Dan feeds his falafel craving there regularly (to say daily at times would not be a stretch) and the lemon lentil soup is like nothing we've ever had.

Tonight we went and decided to try something new. Instead of the vegetarian mezza -- a plate of samples of vegetarian grape leaves, hummus, babaganoush, tabbouli, falafel, spinach pie and all kinds of other things, we made our own little veggie smorgasbord.

We went for the lemon lentil soup, because we can't not get it; the chickpea salad, which is a little like tabbouli, , but without the tomatoes and with chickpeas; the Arabian pizza, a pita pizza with hummus, red peppers and artichokes (it's supposed to come with lamb too, but we went sans lamb, obviously); and the falafel platter, which comes with six pieces baked or fried falafel (we prefer baked), tabbouli, hummus, tahini and wild rice.

Needless to say, it was a bit too much food, but if I hadn't gorged myself at Chris and Jessica's wedding earlier in the day, we probably could have made it happen.

Though I didn't have one tonight, they have a great Lebanese beer -- Alamazza, I believe it's called. I think it's a lager. They even have a gluten free beer, but I haven't tried that yet. Besides that, they've got a big selection of beer and wine, including one of my favorites on tap, Bell's Oberon.

If you go and happen to have room for dessert, we had the lemon tart when it was on special once and it was good. Be sure to get some of Anita's Turkish coffee to go with it.

Here's a link to the Anita's Kitchen Web site. As you'll see, they have a huge menu for vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. They also have a few items for kids -- we found the other day the whole family could go out to dinner for 20 bucks. You can't beat that.

Instead of the cheesy posters from Beirut and unused hookahs you might find in most Mediterranean joints, Anita's is actually cool, warm and comforting. The walls are painted in warm tones of earthy green and terracotta, large roots or vines wind through the open ceiling and along the wall and any adornments or "kitsch" is actually tasteful and interesting. Used water and beer bottles hold fresh Gerber daises, which is a nice touch. And, in case someone's worried about missing the big game, there are a couple of flat screens hoisted behind the bar.

All that being said, the restaurant has a great outdoor patio on the side of the building that probably seats 30 to 40 people, so that's clearly a draw for the summer. Better yet, there's always a parking spot or two nearby.

So, check it out when you get the chance. You won't regret it.