Meat in a Box

KStead and I were craving kebabs for dinner tonight. We usually go to our spot in Arlington but didn't feel like going out that way. We found a place located in Falls Church, VA called Meat in a Box. Clever name, yummy meat!

The menu is pretty simple. You choose either shish, beef, chicken or combo (beef + chicken) skewers in either 2, 4 or 10 in a box. It comes wrapped in bread with tomatoes, onions and parsley. I got the shish, which comes with green peppers, zucchini and onions grilled with the meat and KStead got the chicken.

The staff is really nice and friendly. Kitchen is spic and span. The menu also includes other options such as a veggie wrap, soup de jour (minestrone soup is home made by the mother-in-law), ice cream sandwich (home made saffron and rose water infused ice cream served in between wafers), dolma, baklava, and ayran (Persian yogurt drink).

If you're in the Falls Church area we highly recommend this place.

Meat in a Box

312 S Washington Street

Falls Church, VA 22046

(703) 533-9070

CHARCOAL KABOB!!!

So this is the happiest place in Herndon, VA. Charcoal Kabob!! I don't even know where to start. I started eating here since what, senior yr of high school so that's like nine years ago. Dude, I don't think I've ever been so faithful to a restaurant. But the food is so beyond delicious here, how can I resist coming back over and over again. Ok, so yeah the prices have definitely gone up since I first started going (from 6-something a plate to around 8.50$) but for the amount of food that they serve, its definitely worth it.

So lets start with the Kabobs. I'm sure you all already know the lamb kabob is my favourite, but I will admit, the vegetarian kabob (made of a potatoe mixture) is really good too. All the kabobs are make in a hickory charcoal oven so it has that truly smoked meat feel. Not that "made in a conventional oven" flavour. You know what I'm talking about. You just don't get that true meat flavour in a regular oven. That rustic, deep flavour that makes you want to sink your teeth into that piece of meat and tear it apart like a lion to a gazelle. Did I mention I love to eat meat? Ok, so they also have chicken kabobs- pieces and chapli as well as keema kabobs and beef lamb ribs and fish.

Now that your kabob is on the plate, what else are you getting? Well, after you are topped with a oven baked naan (can it get any better?) you get some basmati rice and your choice of vegetables (chickpeas spinach, mixed veg).

There are some new changes to the menu since my VA days like gyros are now on the menu along with hummus, kaharis, and low-carb options (but really, why would you substitute naan for a salad?).

So where is it?

Charcoal Kabob

394 Elden St Herndon, VA

703-435-2400

Athena -3551 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Lafayette LA

Mmmm, now who doesn't like some delicious lamb and hummus? There are several restaurants in Lafayette to eat Lebanese (well...most are chains) but if you don't like your food drenched in oil or garlic in everything then I definitely suggest dining at Athena's. I'm definitely the fan of both the lula kabab plate and the kibbi plate. The salad is perfect-just enough feta and dressing so that your mouth doesn't feel like you ate a block of cheese and washed it down with oil. The lamb is cooked just right-juicy, tender, not chewy ('cause they don't leave a slab of fat attached to the meat). Every meal is served w/ a complimentary lentil soup-which is the best in town (trust me on this one) and all plates include a salad and rice-although if you're like me and are not a fan of rice, they'll happily switch it for anything else on the menu. The menu also includes falafel, tabouleh, grape leaves (both vegetarian and meat) and sandwich plates for those who don't want to eat a large plate (the plates are definitely large enough to satisfy you for hours). And at lunch time there's a buffet so YAY! for "all you can eat". And if there's still room in your belly after clearing your plate order some Turkish coffee and baklava-or pay the check and munch on a Jordan almond (SO YUM!).

Athena's
3551 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Lafayette LA
(337) 988-7618