Hopes of Spring

It has been a rather mild winter although Wednesday was one of the colder days. But I decided to brave the gusty wind and grabbed lunch at Lara's Restaurant. This Armenian/Middle-Eastern joint was next to Beiruti, in the same strip mall just off of Consumer Road. It has much less foot traffic than its competitor. This may be due to its' sit-down-dining status, and thus slightly more expensive options. That's a shame, because I had quite a tasty meal here.

I ordered the shish tawouk platter ($13.95) and a tahn drink ($2). The entrée comprised of large portions of salad, fragrant pilaf rice, and flavourful chicken. Despite being fat-free, the pieces of chicken were tender and carried a good grilled taste. The rice was fluffy and rich. I found the salad a bit too tangy. But the yogurt drink neutralized the acidity. Looking around, I saw other interesting dishes (probably appetizers) served with pita. There were also some intriguing breakfast items on the menu, including an Armenian soup called pacha. But these were only available on week-ends. All in all, Lara's is a more intriguing dining option than Beiruti or the giant Paramount franchise down the street.