This strangely-named, store-made, something-or-other was for sale in the cold case, and after ignoring it for weeks on end, I decided to give it a go. Smart choice. It had a very distinct but welcomed taste - strange but strangely familiar. Even though the ingredients simply said it contained spices, I sensed there was cinnamon or cardamom in there with the rice, lentils, and onions. A succulent serendipity. (B)
Tabouli
Ah, mounds of chopped parsley accompanied by tomatoes, mint, onion, and cracked wheat with a splash of olive oil and lemon juice. One can taste the freshness in this concoction, which is sadly missed in a few other brands I purchase at other grocery stores. (Not to rag on the version at the other stores, but within 12 hours of opening the container, its parsley is already starting to wilt and turn tough.) The deli also does a version with quinoa instead of wheat, and it's almost as good. All said, the biggest problem is the deli offers the tabouli in either a small or large container, and the manager laughed at my 44-oz suggestion. (A)
Halva
I don't know what this was supposed to be, but in the interest of broadening my pallet, I bought a cube from the bakery. Not my favorite. I'm told it's a dense, sweet confection, and I'll agree with the dense. Not so much on the sweet. In fact, this really had no taste. Does "chalky" count as a taste? It even felt a bit chalky to the point I could see the indention as I held a piece. Reminded me of the pool cue chalk down at Chalkie's Pool Hall. I like to think this version of halva was outside the norm, but I'm not brave enough to try it again. (C-)
Lebanese Falafel Wrap
I bought one of these the first time I visited the store years ago, and I'm both proud and ashamed to say it's the only deli counter food item I've purchased since. I've sampled plenty of other items from the plates of friends and coworkers to know there are other things I should try. But I'll try those later. This wrap has fully formed falafel, tasty tabouli, some pickled turnip pieces (for crunch and colour), and then some finely diced jalapeño for a bit of heat. Typing this makes me hungry. The only negative thing I can say about this is how it's rolled. I think different employees wrap it a bit tighter than others, leading the weaker wraps to fall apart at the end. What's left in the pita falls out - but I'm prepared and have a napkin ready just in case, along with the fork and knife. None of this is going to waste. (A++)
Ma'amoul
This was another impulse purchase from the bakery. I bought one of each: one with walnut and the other with pistachio. Like many other Mediterranean desserts, neither one was overly sweet. Both were a bit dry, but this hasn't stopped them from quickly becoming a favorite. (B+)
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