Cooking Made Extra-liciously Special: The Fumes and Flames of Tahir’s Kitchen
When In Manila, have you ever wondered where you would go when you’re in the mood to try Mediterranean cuisine BUT with the fumes of the roasted chicken/lamb and the flames of the spices tweaked to fit our Pinoy tastebuds? What more if you are near the Katipunan/Blueridge area or somewhere in Quezon City? There’s no need to worry too much then because you are already at the right spot. All that is left to do is to stumble upon the doors of Tahir’s Kitchen.
Set at the “restaurant belt” along Katipunan Avenue, Tahir’s Kitchen will definitely entice your senses with appetizing meals served with the flavors and spices from the Middle East. Tahir’s Kitchen opened last July 18, 2014 and is named after one of the establishment’s owners, Mr. Tahir, a Pakistani from Dubai.
He and his partner, Ms. Martina, decided to put up the restaurant to bring over her partner’s favorite Mediterranean meals and introduce them to Filipinos. Ms. Martina, a Filipina food lover herself, decided to infuse Mediterranean with Filipino cuisine and bring life to what Tahir’s Kitchen now offers its clientele.
Tahir’s Kitchen has the following best must-try Mediterranean dishes: Hummus, Tabbouleh, Chicken Shawarma, Yellow Lentil Soup, Chicken Kebab, and Lamb Biryani.
(Pita Bread)
Hummus is a flavourful dip consisting of chickpeas, roasted garlic and tahini. It is usually served with pita bread. The garlic flavor particularly highlights this dip, making it perfect enough to be paired with something that tastes neutral, like the pita bread.
(Tabbouleh)
Tabbouleh was our instant love in the appetizers section as it is very similar to the salsa that most Pinoys enjoy as a side dish. However, their version of the salsa gives off a remarkable lemon twist flavor that makes it light enough for a snack yet perfect enough to tease your palate.
(Yellow Lentil Soup)
(Yellow Lentil Soup)
For the soup corner, they offer the Yellow Lentil Soup, which is very Mediterranean and yet quite similar to our Pumpkin Soup. This soup is not too creamy and highlights the lentils well, making it a very natural, organic and healthy dish.
(Chicken Shawarma)
(Chicken Shawarma)
Next is the Pinoy’s favorite, the very popular Mediterranean food in the Philippines: the shawarma. Tahir’s Kitchen’s Chicken Shawarma is a shawarma like no other. The chicken is so tender and moist and has a lemony flavour to it. It is the perfect light snack for every health-conscious (and not-so-health-conscious) shawarma lovers out there. You can choose whether to have the shawarma prepared beforehand or you can wrap it up on your own.
(Chicken Kebab)
(Chicken Kebab)
Of course, no Mediterranean cuisine can be complete without kebabs in the menu. Tahir’s Kitchen’s Chicken Kebab is the best kebab in town, I must say. The grilled chicken bits are roasted and crunchy on the outside, and moist on the inside. The vegetables are all fresh, as well, and are cooked just right.
(Lamb Biryani)
(Lamb Biryani)
Their best dish, though, is the Lamb Biryani, which has a medium spicy flavor. The lamb is so soft and tender, you won’t have to slice it at all. This rice dish uses long grains combined with cashew nuts, glazed onions and raisins, and is topped with slices of tomatoes, cucumber and coriander leaves.
