This Middle Eastern restaurant opened in Kirkwood about three years ago, on a prime corner that once housed a Velvet Freeze. They built a large and attractive patio out front, where the ice cream parlor’s parking lot once was, and a small, modest indoor space that is less scenic. Petra started out as Ranoush, the second locale of this name (the first is in the Loop), then went off on it’s own.
The menu here is classic Arabic, with several Jordanian specialties. Typical for this type of cuisine, there is an emphasis on fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and yogurt. And there is a belly dancer, at least on weekends.
On the starters menu, a tempting selection of hot and cold dishes includes some that are familiar, others more exotic. We had Baba Ganoush ($6) from the cold column, and it was a superb mash of grilled eggplant with a hint of smoky flavor, garlic and olive oil. Both chunky and creamy, it served as the perfect palate teaser. Same for the Hummus ($6.25), which is superior to most I’ve had. The chickpea flavor was intense, highlighted only by lemon juice—and without overpowering garlic flavor. The way it was served, too, is noteworthy: as a creamy well surrounding a pool of quality olive oil with a few whole chickpeas in it. Red paprika was sprinkled on top.
An order of the hot Batata Harra, sauteed potato chunks with red peppers and garlic, was a good complement to the cold starters, as this dish was spicy and much heartier. But the don’t-miss dish is the Fatayar ($6.75), a trio of deep-fried pockets filled either with fragrant minced beef that had been marinated in herbs or creamy haloumi cheese. The dough is dense and crisp—so appealing I plan to make a full meal out of these next time.
For entrees the classic Mixed Grill ($21) was impressive in both size and flavor. Piled onto a massive pita round were several chunks of roasted lamb, yogurt-marinated chicken cubes, a few roasted shrimps and a large piece of beef shwarma. The flavors were the traditional Middle Eastern blend of mouth-puckering lemon, savory herbs like thyme, and olive oil. The white-meat chicken was tender and somewhat tangy in flavor; the shwarma was spicy and meaty. The entree came with a large mound of yellow rice and a side order of Mediterranean Salad, a delicious cubed fresh veggie mix of parsley, tomatoes, onions and cucumbers tossed in lemon juice.
Also excellent is the eggplant entree, Bantenjaan Bil Foren ($16.75), a wonderful medley of vegetables heavily olive-oiled into a ratatouille-like stew served over yellow rice and with a side salad.
You might pass on dessert; somehow they make a baklava that is not appealing (something I never thought possible); it wasn’t sweet enough or flaky enough. And don’t expect everything on the menu to be available, since several items were ‘out,’ and they were the same ones each time we visited! But overall this is a terrific little place to sit outside, in a heated tent, and enjoy very fine Middle Eastern food.
amuse bouche
The Scene | Middle Eastern restaurant with attractive large front patio
The Prices | $6 for starters, $16-$21 entrees
The Chef | Mohammad Alsalem
The Favorites | Batata Harra, Baba Ganoush, Hummus, Fatayar
chef chat » owner mohammad alsalem
Pedigree | Self-Taught
Favorite Ingredient | Seven spices
Favorite St. Louis Restaurant | Oceano Bistro
Most Memorable Meal | Reem al-Bawadi in Jordan
Guilty Pleasure Food | Hummus
200 n. kirkwood road | 314.984.8899
Photos: Bill Barrett