Old Mediterranean Kitchen — Restaurant in Bellevue

Visionary Vikas Gaur's Culinary Treasure in Bellevue: Old Mediterranean Kitchen.

Dining at Old Mediterranean Kitchen is not merely a meal; it is a transcendent experience, a journey through centuries of rich, soulful Mediterranean heritage crafted with precision, passion, and purity.

Nestled right in the heart of Bellevue, this hidden gem has become a beloved sanctuary for food connoisseurs who seek authenticity, artistry, and warmth in every bite.

At the helm of this culinary haven is none other than Vikas Gaur, a man whose devotion to his craft is nothing short of legendary.

Vikas is not just a chef or a restaurateur. He is a curator of stories, a guardian of tradition, and a beacon of excellence in the hospitality world. His hands don’t just cook; they create. His mind doesn’t just run a business; it orchestrates a symphony of flavors, aromas, and memories.

What truly elevates Old Mediterranean Kitchen beyond five stars, however, is Vikas’s presence. He greets every guest like family. He remembers names, preferences, and stories.

Vikas walks through the restaurant not just to check on service but to offer heartfelt connections. His humility is as radiant as his talent, and that rare combination is what makes this place sacred ground for those who value soul with their supper.

In a world full of rushed meals and commercial kitchens, Old Mediterranean Kitchen stands tall as a sanctuary of integrity, hospitality, and unadulterated culinary joy.

Vikas Gaur, thank you for gifting Bellevue with not just a restaurant but a legacy. Your spirit, your service, and your flavors will be remembered long after the food is served.

From the moment you walk in, the ambiance whispers old world charm. Intimate lighting, the soft echo of Mediterranean music, and the aroma of spiced lamb, roasted eggplant, and freshly baked pita instantly transport you to the shores of Greece, the hills of Lebanon, and the kitchens of Southern Italy.

Every dish reflects Vikas’s obsession with quality and heart:

🥙 The shawarma is masterfully marinated, succulent and deeply satisfying. 🥗 The tabbouleh is crisp, herbaceous perfection, and the hummus is so velvety, it's practically a spiritual experience. 🍖 And the lamb kebabs — oh, the lamb — tender, fragrant, and flame kissed with precision only a true artisan...

I normally don't care too much about the service, but it was interesting at this place. Everyone was moving basically a thousand miles an hour and talking super fast. I don't think this turned out well, as our server ended up missing a couple items. My item also got delayed a bit

Speaking of what I got, it was the Shish Tawook, which are pieces of marinated chicken breast on top of a bed of yellow rice, along with hummus Before that though, I thought it was cool that this place gives a couple free starters. We had some pita bread, which was ok, with a pretty good garlic vinaigrette. The soup was a little bit better. We also ordered the fried cauliflower as an appetizer - which was quite good. The sauce on it was a little bit inconsistent but fantastic when it was there

For the main dish, I mostly liked the kebab & rice meal. The rice was especially very good. It was seasoned really well, felt slightly oily but not overly so, and was overall really flavorful. It was my favorite part of the meal. I quite liked combining it with the hummus, which was also super fluffy, and didn't feel too oil-forward. It tasted light, yet still had that nutty flavor that characterizes the food. There was actually a good amount of hummus on the side of this dish

As far as the chicken, I also really enjoyed it. Despite being chicken breast, which is pretty hard to get right, this chicken was super juicy and not overcooked at all. The crust on the outside was also excellent, and the level of marination really shined through.

The one small issue I have is the garlic sauce wasn't my favorite. It was too acidic - overindexing on the lemon juice too much. It was also thinner than you would expect. More fat in this sauce would've really taken this dish up another notch

The portion size here is incredible. From the massive amount of rice, decent helping of hummus, and large pieces of chicken - this easily lasted two meals. It is on the expensive side - the meal itself costs $24, coming out to around $30/person in total, so it loses a few points there, but altogether I like this deal

Overall, this place may be small and the service might be questionable, but I think their food is well-above...

TLDR, I walked in the door and my wife said “ohhhh no…we should probably take that back”, but we gave it a try and….

As a take out experience this was disappointing. The staff seemed friendly and the ambiance nice but the food left a lot to be desired.

The styrofoam packaging left a lot of the food sweating but we tried really hard to look past that.

The portions seemed healthy then upon opening realized it was almost exclusively rice that lacked flavor and was often crunchy.

The Zahara, which my wife was excited for, was soup and resembled more of an oatmeal texture than fried cauliflower.

The dolmas were about the size of a small man’s thumb, gooey and lacked flavor, for some reason the giant bed of lackluster rice they sat on was insult to injury.

The lamb had good flavor but the tahini it was drenched in ruined the experience.

The ground lamb and the chicken skewers were both concerningly pink and ultimately led us to discard the meal.

The bag of pitas with the meal was interesting and disappointing, may as well have said “Kroger brand”

At the end of the day we really wanted to like this establishment but instead felt it was a waste of $100.

We recommend the drive to Greenwood across the water to Gorgeous George’s...