Linda Falkenstein
Green salad, chicken on rice and fries.
The chicken kebab plate with rice, salad and fries from The Mediterranean Joint.
Madison has such an array of Mediterranean- and Middle Eastern-inflected restaurants, you could say we’re spoiled. The kitchens draw inspiration from the foodways of Jordan, Albania, Israel, Algeria, Egypt, Palestine, Tajikistan — and that’s not even a complete list.
A recent addition is The Mediterranean Joint, which opened in August in the former Poke Poke spot in the Gateway Mall. (Poke Poke has moved to 904 Williamson St., sharing space with Feast Artisan Dumpling and Tea House.) It’s an area without other nearby Middle Eastern options. But even so, the question is still “Can The Mediterranean Joint measure up?” So far, results are mixed.
The brothers behind The Mediterranean Joint, Ender and Bunyamin Erk, are of Turkish descent. The heart of the menu is generally Middle Eastern, with the meat choice (gyros, chicken shawarma, chicken kebab, beef kebab, or kofta) and vegetarian option (falafel) served either as a wrap, a pita (open-faced, like a tostada) or a plate (with rice and salad). Rounding out the menu is a generous selection of appetizers and sides.
If you have a big group, the meze plate is a good way to start; it’s a pick-three from all the appetizers. A recent trio of baba ghanoush, hummus and fries was too much for two diners — I still have a take-home tub of leftover hummus in my fridge.
The baba ghanoush was spicy, smoky and although it leaned more toward red pepper than eggplant, it won the meze. The hummus was fine but might have had a brighter flavor with less tahini or a touch of lemon. The plate came with triangles of pita that barely made a dent in the generous servings — why is there never enough pita with dips? The fries were good, crispy, with a dusting of spices. Other options include tabbouleh, stuffed grape leaves, tarator (Turkish sour yogurt with carrots), and a haidari yogurt dip with labne and feta.
For main dishes, I preferred the thin lavash bread of the wraps to the pita (though the pita would probably hold up better for takeout). The wraps are large, about the size of a burrito, and hard to eat — the combination of grease from the meat, tzatziki sauce, tomato and greens make them difficult to handle. Still, I’d go for the beef kebab. The chunks of grilled, marinated beef tasted like a good steak, were a little spicy and mostly tender (though that varied from piece to piece). The kofta (meatballs) were also spicy, with a char from the grill. The gyros, also fine, is popular and sometimes sells out.
Though chicken shawarma and chicken kebab are supposed to have different preparations, I couldn’t tell the difference; both were dark meat and bland compared to the beef. Falafel are crisp on the outside but mushy within; again, these seem tahini-heavy and a little chalky. I could taste some fresh mint in there somewhere, and that would be a nice touch if it weren’t so buried. Even if these were cooked all the way through, I don’t think they could sway me from my allegiance to Banzo’s lighter version.
The size of the servings also felt off. The huge wraps could easily be split between two diners, while the pita version of the same sandwich, at the same price, seemed smaller, sized for one person. The plates seemed overpriced — an extra $6 to add plain rice and salad wasn’t worth it.
The dining room is pleasant; the soundtrack is contemporary Turkish pop. Order at the counter and your food is brought to your table. Loading up on Turkish appetizers, splitting a kofta wrap and fries, and finishing the meal with a crunchy walnut or pistachio baklava would be a fine way to go until the kitchen fully hits its stride.
600 Williamson St.
608-205-7832; themediterraneanjoint.com
$5-$17
11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily
