Bakery + Mediterranean Cafe…read more
I only drove by Assad's a million times, it was finally time to stop in. It's a small Middle Eastern grocery store with a small menu of Mediterranean food options. It seemed like a destination for grocery shopping. There were quite a few Arabic guests who seemed to be regulars and had friendly banter with the owner. It was great to witness communal feeling and hospitality.
If you're grocery shopping, you'll find a lot of great products in the aisles. Products include olive oils, halva, dates, produce, chocolate, olives, frozen goods, dairy, teas, coffee, and a lot more. Countries represented in the aisles are UAE, Turkey, Morocco, Palestine, Yemen, and probably a lot more. Few standouts are guava, hookahs, Yemeni Karak chai, and citrus with leaves still attached looking super fresh. Of course there's spices shelf with the most pleasant aroma that transports you to the Middle East. The aisles are a little tight, but the variety is impressive. You can find enough things to cook an elaborate dinner and then some. The grocery store temperature was hot. Additionally, there were comments overheard about broken coolers, which was disappointing. It made me question the quality and freshness of perishable and frozen food.
If you're hungry, there is a kitchen at the front of the store with the spinning shawarma meat. There is a small menu displayed. There are also a few other options. At checkout, you'll find ready food - pitas, meat pies, and other delicacies. Nothing looked super fresh. You can place an order at the kitchen for the food and pay at checkout. You can order premade food at checkout and pay. If you plan to enjoy the food onsite, there is patio seating made from stone (see photos).
The service was pretty friendly. I encountered a few store employees. They seemed genuine and welcoming. If you pay with credit card, there is an up-charge.
I ordered pies - chicken pie and pepperoni pie. I have tried many pies at the local Middle Eastern grocery stores and eateries all over the city. These were my least favorite. The main problem was that the dough was soggy. Almost like they were frozen, then thawed and left standing out for awhile. Chicken pies didn't have enough spices, and pepperoni enough meat. I did not eat either after first bite because they just didn't taste fresh. It was disappointing.
I would recommend this store for grocery shopping. I'm reluctant to recommend it for prepared foods.