Gabrielle S.
Reviews
Written: 17
06/19/2007
4 star rating
My first encounter with the wonderful food served at Basil Wraps was at an International Student Festival at
Kennesaw State University. One of the gathering rooms in the Student Center was filled with tables of food
prepared by the students from various countries around the world - included amongst them was a table with
glorious Middle Eastern specialities, provided (for FREE!) by Basil Wraps restaurant. I picked up one of their
business cards whilst scarfing down some vegetarian Dolmatos, Hummus, Falafel and Jerusalem salad,
making a mental note to find the place and get more of their food.
Basil Wraps is not easy to find, especially if all you have is an address (I realized later that I should have called
- they welcome advance phone calls for fast pickup) - it's in an old shopping center on Canton Rd at the
intersection of Canton and Piedmont (Piedmont turns into Barrett Pkwy heading west), not far from 575 and
75 (not a hip intown location, decidedly, but for those of us finding ourselves living cheaper just outside the
Perimeter, it's nice to have an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant near home and/or work).
In the same shopping center is a Driver's License Office (as stated on Basil Wraps' takeout menu) and what
appears to be a driving school, but tucked in on the short end of the "L" shape is a little storefront and a few
tables on the sidewalk just outside the restaurant. Since I wasted time driving around Canton Rd trying to find
the place, I was happy to be inside, and welcomed heartily by the Palestinian woman who owns the
restaurant, Nadia.
Nadia was all alone that day, cleaning tables, cooking food, and at lunch, not a customer was in sight. I had
her all to myself, and she became my new best friend, offering me up vegetarian specialties, working with me
to provide a combination not quite on the menu, but that would satisfy my cravings.
The price for the Jerusalem salad I'd tried at KSU and loved so much (basically a Tabouli without the grain -
"chopped parsley, diced tomatoes, diced onions, dressed with spices, lemon juice and olive oil") was a bit
steep: $4.99 for a small bowl, but Nadia sold me an even smaller bowl. There is a regular "Mixed Plate" of 4
Falafel Patties, Hummus, Baba Ghanoush and Warm Pita, for $6.49, but I think we worked around my dislike
of the Ghanoush, instead taking away some Dolmatas (Middle Eastern cousins to the Greek Dolmas, or
Dolmades).
After chatting with Nadia while she cooked my Falafel, heated my Pita bread, and prepared everything for me
in containers to take back to work for lunch, and finding out she's only been in that location for a year, and is
already looking to move (go for some food soon, and call ahead to make sure she's still there!), I felt all warm
and happy for making the drive to find her, and came back to my office to eat, making my "Mmmmmmm..."
and happy humming sounds all the while.
I have since put together my own version of her Jerusalem salad at home (not too hard to make), but I will
definitely be going back soon (assuming she's still there!) to get more lunch (they are open for dinner too
though - hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.), and hopefully I can drag some coworkers with me.
Either before or after you visit the restaurant, pay a visit to the Basil Wraps web site to see pictures of the
food (plenty of Kababs, Lamb & Beef & Chicken, Gyros, etc. for you meat lovers - as the site proclaims:
"Mediterranean & American Food" "Vegetarians Friendly Menu" "Eat In or Take Out") and pictures of plenty
of customers enjoying the food (yes, there is a photo gallery of people with happy stomachs). In my own
perusal of their site to aid in writing this review, I noticed it appears in the photos that they may sell hookahs
too - so there's that.
Reviews
Written: 17
06/19/2007
4 star rating
My first encounter with the wonderful food served at Basil Wraps was at an International Student Festival at
Kennesaw State University. One of the gathering rooms in the Student Center was filled with tables of food
prepared by the students from various countries around the world - included amongst them was a table with
glorious Middle Eastern specialities, provided (for FREE!) by Basil Wraps restaurant. I picked up one of their
business cards whilst scarfing down some vegetarian Dolmatos, Hummus, Falafel and Jerusalem salad,
making a mental note to find the place and get more of their food.
Basil Wraps is not easy to find, especially if all you have is an address (I realized later that I should have called
- they welcome advance phone calls for fast pickup) - it's in an old shopping center on Canton Rd at the
intersection of Canton and Piedmont (Piedmont turns into Barrett Pkwy heading west), not far from 575 and
75 (not a hip intown location, decidedly, but for those of us finding ourselves living cheaper just outside the
Perimeter, it's nice to have an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant near home and/or work).
In the same shopping center is a Driver's License Office (as stated on Basil Wraps' takeout menu) and what
appears to be a driving school, but tucked in on the short end of the "L" shape is a little storefront and a few
tables on the sidewalk just outside the restaurant. Since I wasted time driving around Canton Rd trying to find
the place, I was happy to be inside, and welcomed heartily by the Palestinian woman who owns the
restaurant, Nadia.
Nadia was all alone that day, cleaning tables, cooking food, and at lunch, not a customer was in sight. I had
her all to myself, and she became my new best friend, offering me up vegetarian specialties, working with me
to provide a combination not quite on the menu, but that would satisfy my cravings.
The price for the Jerusalem salad I'd tried at KSU and loved so much (basically a Tabouli without the grain -
"chopped parsley, diced tomatoes, diced onions, dressed with spices, lemon juice and olive oil") was a bit
steep: $4.99 for a small bowl, but Nadia sold me an even smaller bowl. There is a regular "Mixed Plate" of 4
Falafel Patties, Hummus, Baba Ghanoush and Warm Pita, for $6.49, but I think we worked around my dislike
of the Ghanoush, instead taking away some Dolmatas (Middle Eastern cousins to the Greek Dolmas, or
Dolmades).
After chatting with Nadia while she cooked my Falafel, heated my Pita bread, and prepared everything for me
in containers to take back to work for lunch, and finding out she's only been in that location for a year, and is
already looking to move (go for some food soon, and call ahead to make sure she's still there!), I felt all warm
and happy for making the drive to find her, and came back to my office to eat, making my "Mmmmmmm..."
and happy humming sounds all the while.
I have since put together my own version of her Jerusalem salad at home (not too hard to make), but I will
definitely be going back soon (assuming she's still there!) to get more lunch (they are open for dinner too
though - hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.), and hopefully I can drag some coworkers with me.
Either before or after you visit the restaurant, pay a visit to the Basil Wraps web site to see pictures of the
food (plenty of Kababs, Lamb & Beef & Chicken, Gyros, etc. for you meat lovers - as the site proclaims:
"Mediterranean & American Food" "Vegetarians Friendly Menu" "Eat In or Take Out") and pictures of plenty
of customers enjoying the food (yes, there is a photo gallery of people with happy stomachs). In my own
perusal of their site to aid in writing this review, I noticed it appears in the photos that they may sell hookahs
too - so there's that.
|
REVIEWS