Baba Ghannouj Mediterranean Bistro — Restaurant in Cary

Baba Ghannouj is an authentic Mediterranean casual spot that offers delicious kabob, lamb shank, and gyro plates.

Went here for the first time on a rainy Sunday with my girl. Place was mostly filled when we entered, and we had a bit of a tough time to look at the menu of top of the cashier because of how it's positioned in front of a tight space between the order counter and a dining table, so we took 1 of their menu pamphlets instead and sat down.

I got the $18 Lamb Kabob platter (2 skewers); my girl got the $16+ Lamb Shank (Moroccan Style) platter. Both each comes with either salad or rice, pita bread, and 2 sides of out choice. We both chose baba ghannouj as a side, and I chose Tzatziki sauce while her other side is falafel (2 pieces).

Both dishes were served fast. They called when both orders were ready for me to pick up the trays instead of bringing them to our table. They also forgot the falafel but when I asked, an employee served itvright away with a tiny plastic cup of creamy sauce.

Lamb shank was served on a separate plastic plate from the rest of the platter. My girl was satisfied with the taste and size of the shank; I also tried it, and we thought the lamb was well-cooked and the brown sauce added flavor flawlessly. They surely know how to cook lamb right!

My lamb kabob also tasted delicious, well-spiced, but we expected a bit more meat. I chose rice for the platter while my girl chose salad. Both rice and salad are standard for casual Mediterranean, tasted fresh. The bread and Tatziki sauce also went well with our platters, and while the baba ghannouj also went well with the meal but we've tried better baba ghannouj before. It's not bad, just not the best.

The side that really impressed us was the 2 pieces of falaffel. We each ate one, and we enjoyed every bite. It was well-seasoned, well-cooked with perfect texture and flavors enhanced with the sauce that came with it. We craved for more falafels but our stomachs were already satisfied after devouring everything from our platters.

While the ambiance and customer service of Baba Ghannouj weren't as good as we hoped, their authentic food quality is a major reason to return here. Plastic utensils without plastics covering them may turn off people concerned of sanitation, and the lack of photos in their menu suggest they don't prioritize customer service much,

As I was driving home, I could still savor the pleasant aftertaste of delicious lamb and fresh falafel.

Overall...

Update #2: (10/25/2024) Like a recurring pleasant daydream at this point, this update does seem like a dream come true. The food was incredible, hard to find excellence and quality ingredients, fast (!) service, smiles, custom wraps, crispy, extra this extra that - no problem. Delicious. New paint and decor makes this now a 5⭐ Mediterranean food experience for all 3 categories. I'd go as far as to say that is the absolute best in the Raleigh area and beyond.

Update #1 : (06/02/2024) Added photos (and had an even better customer experience and food tasting!)

If you are searching for the an authentic, amazingly tasty, generously proportioned, affordable for the family, healthy and (from my perspective after trying 13+ other local to Raleigh Mediterranean restaurants over the past 4 years) - the BEST so far - then you must come to Baba Ghannouj!

Of course, as in life, nothing is perfect (thankfully, since that makes us strive to be better day by day all things considered) - the restaurant can feel slightly dated / in need of a refresh - but I'm here for the amazing hummus, fresh pitas, delightful falafel wraps with homemade hot sauce & pickles..... That is all we need sometimes😋🔥. Go for it! You will...

If you love Middle Eastern food (like I do) and you want a fast/casual experience then this is GREAT spot. They have many of the standards of this cuisine: kabobs, shawarma, falafel, gyros, various middle eastern salads (a really good selection), etc. And more importantly, they know how to cook meat. This might sound like a funny comment to make, but I've found that most Middle Eastern restaurants WAY overcook the meat that they serve, especially lamb, which leaves it dry and unenjoyable. Not so with Baba Ghannouj. The meat is cooked properly and is moist, juicy, and very flavorful. The lamb is really good (and if you don't normally eat lamb, you should try it here. Seriously).

The service is fast, if not overly friendly, and so this place is great if you just want to stop and order something to go, which is what you probably want to do as the dining area is fairly small and austere.

Finally, the prices are good and you get really good value for your money. My only complaint is that they aren't right across the street from where I live so I can go there more often. Just go, give them a little bit of money and make your stomach happy. You'll be...