The lure of the Mediterranean

So, you’ve watched Supersize Me and swore off burgers your whole life. Or perhaps you’re getting tired of the usual flat patties smothered with tons of mayo and catsup. Before you start wimping out on burgers totally, it won’t hurt to try out this foreign-sounding treat: Kofta burger.

Available at Kebab King at the Stop Over at The Fort, the kofta burger could very well give other burger joints a run for their money. It’s not drowning in fat and sodium, and it has a pleasant twist – it’s a combination of ground beef and lamb. The mixture may sound a bit odd but taste-wise, it’s worth a try. Filled with herbs and spices, the kofta burger also has coriander (you can see the green bits peeking out from the patty) which gives this treat a Middle Eastern feel. If you want to go Mediterranean all the way, then chuck out the catsup and mayo and have it drizzled with Kebab King’s house concoction of garlic and chili sauces.

"We wanted to introduce Mediterranean cuisine via a fast food setting because we see the need to offer a healthier alternative to more people," says Marla Tañada, one of the owners of Kebab King, which can also be found at the Shell rest stop near Mamplasan along the South Superhighway. A part-owner of Cafe Mediterranean, Tañada says the food served at Kebab King is not as spicy but still as authentic and healthy as they don’t use preservatives. "We also try to keep everything here under P100 without compromising the authenticity of the taste," says Marla.

Of course, adds co-owner Popc Jaranilla, the restaurant also serves regular all-beef burgers for those not adventurous enough. But, again, this is a healthier version of the usual burgers as this has less fat content and less salt.

For those not very familiar, Mediterranean cuisine consists of flavors from three regions: north Africa (i.e. Morocco), eastern Mediterranean (as well as Middle Eastern influences mainly from Arabian countries) composed of Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey) and southern Europe including Italy, France, Spain. Common ingredients used in Mediterranean cuisine include garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, eggplants, chick peas, squash, pepper, lentils, rosemary, cilantro, parsley, dill, to name a few.

Except for the burgers, most of the meat dishes are grilled or roasted. The Mediterranean roast chicken, for instance, is one very tender and juicy bit marinated in rosemary as well as other herbs and spices for 24 hours. Roasted for 45 minutes, the chicken is great with rice and potato salad.

As expected owing to the Pinoy taste buds’ familiarity with the dish, the fastest moving item on the menu is the beef kebab. Just like our very own barbecue minus the sweet sauce, the kebab is again steeped in herbs and spices and served either with rice or pita bread. You can have it with a masala sauce – curry and tomato mixture "and other secret ingredients" – or with the versatile garlic sauce. By the way, easy on the chili sauce, just a few drops will make you want to dump your head in a bucket of water, no kidding.

Of course, shawarma fans need not despair for Kebab King offers this too. Shawarma is that vertical spit from which meat – chicken, beef or kofta – is carved off in small slices and served with pita bread. Again, it’s great with garlic sauce.

Kebab King, says Marla, took two years to plan. First of all, she stresses, that the fast food market is hard to penetrate. They have to think carefully how to keep the authenticity of the flavors while keeping the prices down. "Like we said, we want to veer away from the very sweet, oil-laden stuff yet still serve delicious food," states Marla.

Perhaps to balance eastern and western influences, the owners of Kebab King also thought it best to include other very familiar items such as french fries, baked chicken macaroni, potato salad, and for a Pinoy touch, barbecue pork and dalandan juice. This is obviously for those not keen on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. But again, the key word is "healthy" so you won’t find anything here drowning in sugar. For instance, their baked macaroni is cooked Spanish style and is therefore not sweet. They also use real imported Dutch choco for a dessert called tartufo. The baklava, a popular Turkish delight of thin phyllo pastry, nuts and honey, uses pure pistachio. Soon to hit the Kebab King menu is the pita pizza in three variations.

What started out as a small fast food place at the Shell rest stop frequented by nearby Brent students and teachers is now poised to tickle the taste buds of the Makati crowd tired of the usual fast food selection. Finding the store at The Fort is quite tricky though. Located at the cluster of restaurant near the Shell gas station, Kebab King stands out for its bright yellow and red color scheme and a bemustached, cross-eyed mascot that looks like a cross between an over-enthusiastic Italian baker/chef and a notorious former world leader. It’s name? The owners say it’s Rocky. "Don’t ask why," says Marla with a shrug of her shoulders and an impish grin.