Kalama-Zooroona -- Review

          At 1710 West Main in Kalamazoo, Zooroona offers a variety of dishes from Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Lebanon, and is located at the back of a strip mall, Tiffany's Plaza. Appearing small from the outside, the middle-eastern style restaurant is marked by a neon sign and looks to be about a third of the size of the beauty store next to it. It's a relatively new restaurant; the Mandwee brothers first opened "Tiffany's Wine and Spirits" shop in the same strip mall, and in late 2009, Zooroona came to sit a few stores down.

          The interesting name of the establishment means "come visit us" in Arabic, and this welcoming demeanor is evident when first walking through the doors. It may look small, nothing special from the outside -- but the interior transports you away from the shabby strip mall parking lot. Completely. As the hostess gives a warm welcome, colorful glints of light shine from all over the now seemingly cavernous room; the decorative lamps hanging from the ceiling are covered in beautiful colored glass, with intricately detailed patterns over the glass to let spots of light glimmer through. The walls glow deep red, bright blue and gold; and at the back center is a long mural depicting a dancing woman surrounded by desert sands and men playing instruments. Glittering white lights spider along the ceiling, giving the dim and exotic looking room a bit more coziness.

          You have your choice of being seated at a normal table with chairs, or if you're lucky, one of the "traditional" middle-eastern settings might be open. If so, don't just go with the regular table and chairs -- chairs are lame. Chairs are overrated. Instead, choose a "traditional" table about two feet off the ground, kick off your shoes (who needs 'em?), sprawl across the colorfully decorated cushions, and order some tea. Surrounded by draping curtains and golden walls, the cozy exoticness is hard to pass up.
          The drinks on Zooroona's menu look delicious -- mouth-watering blends of watermelon, mango and orange juice, or strawberries, peaches and apples, can be seen. But be careful when ordering, because chances are, you may only get to read about the drink you've decided on.
          It's respectable that the restaurant doesn't make drinks with foods that aren't in season -- then you know they're being honest about the freshness of the food. But when the restaurant doesn't change the menu to reflect these conditions, it can be a bit disappointing to be set on something and then find out almost none of the drinks mentioned are available. Even though you may not get your Yamal Bagdad to sip on, the basket of pita and tray of olive oil with oregano and thyme quickly makes up for the minor disappointment.

          Aside from the mythical fruit drinks, when it comes to the Shinina, the wait staff will tell you directly not to order it -- not unless you enjoy the "gross" taste of bitter yoghurt mixed with spoonfuls of salt. On the other hand, they recommend the Zohorat tea -- this tea turns out to be a wonderfully mild, herbal blend of eleven different flowers (which are still floating around in the pot) that is poured into tiny glasses with detailed gold paint. For appetizers, or "Mazza" dishes, you might decide on the Baba Ghannouj. One of the restaurant's specialties, it is a wonderful Syrian dip of eggplant, lemon and garlic that provides a smooth and flavorful addition to the pita. It's a good deal for a mere $6, and comes in large quantities. The falafel isn't far behind either; the crunchy, crisp outside reveals a deliciously soft mix of garbanzo beans and parsley inside. The Dolmeh is for those with more of a taste towards the bitter -- grape leaves are smooth to the touch but gritty when chewing, and the lemon and vegetables wrapped inside makes the bitter leaves even stronger. While you're eating, you might have your glass filled by the manager of the restaurant -- he admits that he usually "end[s] up being the water guy" most nights.

          As appetizers run out and your tea gets low, the friendly waiter will climb up once again and kneel down next to you to get your entrée orders, or "Aklaat" dishes. They recommend their chicken and beef shawermah, which ranges from $12 to $14 -- and if you are a meat eater, it would be smart to listen. Hints of lemon can be detected within the creamy, smooth consistency of the beef shawermah, and the chicken shawermah is charred to perfection. Use the tahini sauce for the beef, as the sauce of sesame seeds gives a wonderful smoky flavor to the meat. 

          The Baghdad Kafta Kabob is considered a "house favorite", although tastes pretty much like a regular ground beef burger. It can be a bit dry, but the tahini sauce bumps up the quality. The Tawook, on the other hand, has a fresher flavor, the charred chicken mixing delightfully with the lemon, grilled peppers and onions. 

          The meals come in considerably large proportions, but if the meal hasn't gotten the better of your stomach yet, you might consider getting dessert. Here, in addition to the drinks, you have to be careful what you order. The desserts may also be items that you only get to read about. You may have your mind set on the Kanafa, a sweet traditional cheese pastry dessert, but alas! By 6:30 in the evening, they may be "all out". Don't let that get you down though, because there are regular dessert items that aren't on the menu. You might consider the carrot cake, for example -- and no, this is most definitely not the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting your mom made for your birthday that one year. This Carrot Hallwa is indeed carrot cake -- and literally takes the form of a sweet wedge of shredded carrots. It takes a bit of getting used to, but is a really unique combination of candied lemon peel, sugary carrots and pistachio nut. You also might consider the date cake not offered on the menu; with a dollop of rich cream freshly whipped, this rich, dense cake is worth...however much it cost. 

          And, if you're one of the chosen few on a specific night of the week, you may be treated to a belly-dancing performance during dinner. The lights go off, the "Arabian Nights"-esque music turns up to a level that drowns out conversation, and a woman in a flowing "bedleh" costume will come out to jangle around amidst the diners. The unexpected performance is entertaining to watch, unless you're not someone looking for a mid-dinner distraction. Although it may be a bit overly diverting, the performance gives the message that the restaurant's mesmerizing lights do -- ahlan wa sehlan. You are always welcome.