Jan 8: Fave Flavors

We each have our favorite foods. Tastes that we especially love - and crave. Mine are varied but among these personal faves are the tastes of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Well, I've discovered an excellent new restaurant in Fort Lauderdale that offers both types of cuisine and does each very well. Taza Mediterranean Kitchen & Lounge is a find. A good friend recently took me there for dinner because he'd already tried it and loved the place. A Taza experience starts with the delightful décor, a cross between Middle Eastern and aquatic. You know, like the Mediterranean Sea blended with the Arabian peninsula.  It sounds curious but it works. There's an ornate grand fountain that's maybe six feet tall as a centerpiece along with hookahs and a large aquarium and flat screen televisions that play undersea scenes.

The service and food are the real treats, though. Taza is owned by the charming Miranda Barazi and her brother - I've not had the chance to meet him yet. Miranda went out of her way to accommodate my friend, Hal, who's an old jazz musician and fussy about ambient sounds. And fussy about food too. She was more than happy to change tables, lower the music, whatever it took, and all with a lovely smile.

Hal and I split an order of lamb grape leaves and I also got Taza's homemade crushed lentil soup and a chicken kabob. He decided on tri-color pappardelle for an entrée. Both of us thought the food was superior, pasta and Middle Eastern fare alike. The menu is extensive, including brick-oven pizzas and escargot and falafel and broiled snapper and even a Mediterranean burger wrap. Lots and lots to choose from. Taza also has a weekday Happy Hour special from 4 - 7 pm, with two-for-one drinks and complimentary appetizers. On Saturday evenings, there's a belly dancing show at 8:15 and 9:30. Prices are very affordable too, everything from $8 sandwiches to $14 kabobs to $27 lamb chops. Plus there's a big dessert selection. You'll find Taza at 1430 SE 17^th Street in Fort Lauderdale in the strip shopping center just east of Cordova Road on the south side. The phone number is 954-530-7064 and their website is at www.tazamediterranean.com. If you google Taza, you'll see that this four-month-old restaurant has quickly earned some glowing customer reviews. Well-deserved, I'd say. It's a place that deserves to stay around for a while. Trust me, any restaurant that can please Hal this much definitely has something good going for it.