My heart skips a beat every time a new locally owned restaurant opens in the Kanawha Valley, but there are some I silently celebrate more than others. (Our secret, OK?)
Give me another choice for tasty Asian, Greek or Mediterranean-style food and I'm a happy guy. Even though we already have good options for each - here's to you Ichiban, Su-Tei, Adelphia, Olive Tree Cafe and Best of Crete - I still can't get enough.
So even though its opening was delayed and its location in a former gas station both provide probable cause to proceed with caution, I couldn't wait to eat my way through the menu at the new King Kabab Mediterranean Char-Grill in Spring Hill, across from Thomas Hospital.
Don't let the one-time Citgo site keep you away. All things considered, King Kabab is pretty darn good.
Not everything is made in house (I hear the grape leaf rolls are shipped in and the baklava comes from a bakery), but most items are cooked fresh to order. There are more than a dozen combo meals featuring lamb, chicken, beef and/or falafel, served with rice and pita.
Everything we've tried has been delicious, with a couple items in particular that are truly fantastic. More on those in a minute.
From an ambiance perspective, King Kabab is a casual, no-frills, order-at-the-counter kind of place that could stand to cozy up its stark dining area just a bit. But that's definitely balanced by super-friendly and accommodating service that provides a welcoming "you're like one of the family" feel.
And if this family is cooking, I'm there!
The kafta (a blend of seasoned ground beef and lamb) is nice. You can enjoy it on a kebab or tucked inside a pita stuffed with tomato, parsley, pickles and tahini.
The falafel is probably the best I've had - and very unique. There's enough parsley blended in with the chickpeas, tahini and garlic to give it a deep green color inside. So much so that I told our server I'd never had green chickpeas before, but would seek them out now. (Don't laugh, like he did.)
And the marinated lamb chops (called ribs on the menu) are phenomenal. Marinated in a blend of seasonings and flame-broiled, these four little gems were cooked to perfection - still pink and juicy inside, delightfully charred and savory outside.
There's nothing worse than bad lamb, but it's amazing when it's done well. I couldn't get over how fantastic these chops were. I so want to go back for more, but I'm afraid they'll never be as good as what I had that night. If you go and try them, please let me know!
We also sampled the lamb kebabs, which were good but not as great as the chops. There's a difference in the cut of meat, so keep that in mind.
On a separate occasion, I popped in for lunch and enjoyed the lamb schwarma and a small plate of tabbouleh bursting with parsley and tangy fresh lemon juice, an errant seed and all.
Prices are reasonable for the quality and quantity of food received, but don't expect fast-food prices. Salads and appetizers run $3 to $5, with sandwiches and wraps all under $8, but meals range from $10 to $20.
The food is worth it, though. We left with full bellies, plenty of tasty leftovers and a real sense that the staff was so glad we had stopped by. You can't ask for much more than that.
IF YOU GO: King Kabab, 4860 MacCorkle Ave. SW in South Charleston, is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 304-926-0234 or search "King Kabab WV" on Facebook.
Steven Keith writes a weekly food column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and an occasional food blog at blogs.wvgazettemail.com/foodguy. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or by email at wvfoodguy@aol.com. You can also follow him on Facebook as "WV Food Guy" and on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest as "WVFoodGuy."