Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 9, 1990 TAG: 9005090419
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Dolores Kostelni
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In Salem, at this small, brightly clean, 34-seat food shop that is more of a cafe than a deli, a few of the better-known foods from this part of the world are served on rolled pita in sandwich form. And they are beguiling.
I didn't know what to order first; I wanted all of what was listed on the display board, though I wasn't sure what many of the items were or how to pronounce them.
Head first was the only way to dive in. I ordered a koufta ($2.99). As the young man behind the counter began reciting the ingredients, he also handed me a menu with all the information I needed. Koufta was described as "perfectly grilled marinated ground beef with onions, parsley and spices served with a touch of tahina dressing, fried potato, lettuce, tomato and ketchup."
My eyes were getting bigger by the minute. I ordered a serving of tabbouleh ($1.99), the celebrated cracked wheat and parsley salad. They hadn't finished making it, yet, would I mind waiting?
No, indeed. Beneath the glass counter were displays of savory pies ($1.25). Handmade signs indicated which were meat, cheese and spinach. Mmmm. "A meat pie, please."
So he wouldn't think I was on a food binge, I suggested he wrap it for takeout. More pleasant than a hamburger and almost the size of a dinner plate, the meat pie was seasoned ground beef baked within the confines of a flat, thin pita with three pinched seams on top.
Before I knew it, my koufta and tabbouleh were ready. Neatly halved koufta, with a wrapping of parchment paper encircling the thin, rolled pita, contained the mosaic of ingredients. The beef, in an oval shape, nestled within shredded lettuce and other ingredients. The flavor of the tahina, a sesame seed dressing, was so gentle I had to find it.
This was a complete meal of vegetables and meat to be eaten out of hand. Wonderful. Sandwiches don't get much better.
A cereal-sized throwaway bowl contained the tabbouleh, a deep emerald-green concoction of minced parsley, onion, cracked wheat, tomatoes and a bit of mint, united with a sprightly dressing of lemon juice and olive oil. I could taste the freshness. It was delectable in every respect, although I would have preferred more cracked wheat.
Valley Delicatessen yields one pleasant eating surprise after another. Not the least of these pleasures is the rolled pita. It bears little resemblance to the supermarket pita pockets we know. This has character, flavor and texture.
On the return trip, I took along tasting companions who understand and cook Mediterranean foods. We sampled everything except the falafel, including at least one, sometimes two, of each dessert.
Koufta was everyone's favorite. High marks also went to the shish kabob ($2.99), a roll of pita stuffed with marinated beef chunks served with a touch of tahina, grilled onions, tomatoes and green peppers. Care should be taken when eating the sandwich, because the pieces of meat are larger than bite-size and chewy, rather than tender.
Kibby Sandwich ($2.99), fresh ground beef mixed with onion, cracked wheat, onions, pine nuts, tahina, tomatoes, lettuce and pepperoncini received a plurality of plus votes with one dissenter who didn't care for the combination of ingredients.
An unpleasantly sharp flavor in the spinach prompted much dialogue. Jean Saade, one of the owners, explained that lemon juice was mixed with the fresh spinach and that had caused the sharpness we were tasting.
Although I concentrated on the Mediterranean specialities, there are several universal favorites on the menu: Italian, French and American subs ($3.99), plus burgers ($1.95-$2.75 for regulars; $1.25-$1.75 for juniors) and an assortment of salads ($1.29-$2.99).
Now for dessert. When I asked for baklava on my first visit, I was told it wouldn't be ready until later that afternoon. So I tried a knafa ($1.09), a square of ricotta cheese sandwiched between layers of golden shredded filo drenched with an orangewater syrup. It was really too sweet to enjoy, even for me.
I made up for the baklava deprivation on my second visit by feasting on two individual baklava rolls ($.89). Each was chewy, with almost enough finely chopped walnuts, a just-sweet-enough soaking syrup, buttery and flaky filo, and a pretty frill of chopped pistachios on top.
Jean Saade grew up in Lebanon. But he prefers to call his cuisine Mediterranean instead of Middle Eastern, because of the unfortunate, combative connotations that regional term has acquired.
By any name, the food at Valley Delicatessen is delicious.
by CNB