Today I was Boca Raton and there was a ton of places to choose from in this area. While I looked on Urban Spoon for a selection of places I realized that almost everything in the area was more expensive then back home. Finally I found something that sounded healthy and fair in price. Meza Mediterranean Grill & Bar in Boca Raton sits in a little shopping center with other eateries available just doors away. I was surprised to see that when I walked in at lunch time it wasn’t busy at all. Usually it’s not a good sign if the parking lot is packed and there is no one in your restaurant around lunch time, however I wanted to give it a try.
I was greeted at the door and seated wherever I like by a waiter named Robert. He had a smile on his face and he took my drink order immediately and he told me to ask if I had any questions about the menu. At first glance I felt that I was just sitting in another dinner or deli style restaurant, but after looking around I realized that this was a place to come at night. They are set up for live music, there’s a covered patio where you can choose from a huge selection of hookah and they even have belly dancers on weekends. The décor inside is mainly a mural painted on the walls that makes you feel like you’re in another country and then simple neutral colored booths and chairs. The bar is in the back and although it doesn’t seat many people it looks inviting.
I was greeted at the door and seated wherever I like by a waiter named Robert. He had a smile on his face and he took my drink order immediately and he told me to ask if I had any questions about the menu. At first glance I felt that I was just sitting in another dinner or deli style restaurant, but after looking around I realized that this was a place to come at night. They are set up for live music, there’s a covered patio where you can choose from a huge selection of hookah and they even have belly dancers on weekends. The décor inside is mainly a mural painted on the walls that makes you feel like you’re in another country and then simple neutral colored booths and chairs. The bar is in the back and although it doesn’t seat many people it looks inviting.
With the lamb kabob sandwich you are offered French fries or Greek salad. Based on my choices I opted for the Greek salad. It came as a chopped salad with pickled beets and fresh feta. When I say fresh feta I mean it was fresh and delicious. The lamb kabob sandwich came perfectly wrapped up in pita bread and tin foil for those who are messy. It was filled with lamb, tomatoes, red onions, feta, tahini sauce and lettuce. The lamb was tender and moist and cooked to perfection with some seasoning that I couldn’t seem to put my finger on. Either way it was a delicious addition to my already amazing meal. I ended up taking three boxes of food home with me, just from the leftovers of this meal. I can’t wait to enjoy it for a second time as I’m sure it will taste just as good. Overall my experience with Meza's Mediterranean Grill & Bar was far superior to any local Greek restaurant we have in the Tarpon Springs area. I might even go as far as saying this is probably the best Mediterranean food I've ever had.
I would like to point out that in other reviews someone had mentioned the service being bad and I would like to say that things may have changed since then. The ipads that they mentioned are still being used, but they aren’t being brought to the table. My waiter took my order and went back to the bar to type it in the ipad. I did witness someone cleaning off a table which was right next to me and I didn’t smell any bleach once he was done. Maybe they saw your review and changed up some of the ways they handled business, which in my opinion is a great way to take constructive criticism. They did a wonderful job of checking in on me and they gave me plenty of attention during the course of my meal.
I would like to point out that in other reviews someone had mentioned the service being bad and I would like to say that things may have changed since then. The ipads that they mentioned are still being used, but they aren’t being brought to the table. My waiter took my order and went back to the bar to type it in the ipad. I did witness someone cleaning off a table which was right next to me and I didn’t smell any bleach once he was done. Maybe they saw your review and changed up some of the ways they handled business, which in my opinion is a great way to take constructive criticism. They did a wonderful job of checking in on me and they gave me plenty of attention during the course of my meal.
One of the things that I like about their menu is that there’s a description of the food and ingredients next to the original name. Being that I have tried a lot of Greek food before I wanted to see how they were different from the local Tarpon Springs area. I ordered the Middle-Eastern Sampler which came with a large portion of hummus, eggplant dip, grape leaves and Falafel. It was served with a side plate of pita bread for dipping and the Falafel was sitting on a bit of lettuce and cucumbers which worked well for dipping. The food was amazing! The eggplant dip (eggplant hummus) and the grape leaves were my favorite. The flavors in both were so unique and fresh, I could tell that I was eating a meal from a recipe that came from a traditional Mediterranean family. When I asked Robert about the dish he confirmed that these meals came from the mother’s recipe box. The grape leaves were made fresh and the eggplant dip was made earlier today. The Falafel didn’t look as appealing, but the taste was incredible especially once it was dipped in the tahini sauce. After taking a few bites of everything on my plate I asked Robert to tell me what his favorite meat plate was on the menu. He told me that I couldn’t leave without trying some lamb.
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