As we drove into the small parking lot beside Edulis Grill and opened the car doors, we were immediately greeted with the delicious smell of charred vegetables and meat. At this point, we were having a pretty late lunch and we could tell we were in for a treat. We walked in and found it to be relatively empty, with a total of 7 booths but only one occupied.
After we sat down, Ali, the do-it-all man of the restaurant, told us that the menu was going to change soon and they were going to remove the baba ganoush and tabbouli along with some other adjustments. Originally we wanted to try the Bagila Bil Hihin, but they didn't have the fava beans ready since it was well past breakfast time. Instead we went with the other recommended breakfast item along with another Iraqi unique dish.
As we were waiting for our food, we got some soup to start off
Lentil Soup (Complimentary) - This was a nice warming soup with soft stewed lentils, spiced with a lot of cumin and served with two large wedges of lemon for you to squeeze in as wanted.
Mahklama ($16.99) - This dish consisted of scrambled eggs mixed with kabob meat, parsley, tomato and onion. The flavor mainly consisted of cumin and turmeric. The texture was pretty soft and tender throughout. We found that it was perhaps a bit undersalted but still tasted good overall.
Iraqi Shish Kabob ($21.99) - This included four skewers of pretty simple ground beef mixed with salt and other seasonings, then grilled to perfection and sprinkled with sumac. The exterior had a very nice crust that added texture and the interior was some of the most tender kabob we have ever eaten. The meat here was honestly absolutely amazing - better than any grilled kafta I've had at most Lebanese restaurants around the area. The taste was fantastic, a perfect mix of char, mellow beef, onion, and spices. They don't add parsley or mint, so there were no herbal notes. The kabob was served with onion and tomato that were perfectly charred on the grill. The onion had cooked enough from the heat that it only had a small raw bite, and the tomato was pretty softened from the heat. There were also some mini sliced cucumber, pickles, and a big bowl of rice pilaf (choice of rice or fries) to complete the meal.
Each person also gets a samoon and an entire piece of Iraqi pita/Arabic bread/khubz to eat their main with. I think they buy these in the morning from a local bakery because they are served cold. If there was one improvement, it would be to warm up the bread a bit.
At the end of the meal, they serve you a complimentary cup of a very nice black chai, filled with the fragrance and flavor of various spices (cardamom and cinnamon perhaps?). It's served unsweetened, but there is a container of sugar on the table to adjust to preference.
By the time we left, the restaurant had completely filled up and the employees were pretty overwhelmed at that point trying to clear tables, bring out food, cash people out, and take phone orders. Only Ali was working the front and there were only two people cooking in the kitchen. Just be aware that this is a family establishment, so things might take longer than usual when the restaurant start filling up.
Side Note: Edulis Grill serves each customer a bottle of water at no charge. Most other mom and pop Middle Eastern restaurants in the area charge for water.
Overall Edulis Grill has some really great Iraqi food. I highly recommend the shish kabob. Give them a try. You won't be disappointed! read more