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NOOR'S ARMENIAN SPECIALTIES ARE MADE WITH CARE
Boston Globe, MA
Sept 24 2014
By Sheryl Julian
Arsen Karageozian is standing behind a glass case at Noor
Mediterranean Grill with rows of colorful Lebanese salads, bottles of
dressing, and stacks of pita in front of him. He starts to build a
wrap and first stacks two rounds of pita that have been separated from
one puffy round, sets them rough sides up slightly overlapping, and
begins to layer. Nothing here seems haphazard. Karageozian works fast
and carefully and when the sandwich is rolled up and tight, he looks
satisfied.
He takes the same care with lule kebab, mounding classic fattoush
salad with toasted pita next to rice pilaf simmered with golden pasta
strands, with the juicy beef skewers on the side ($10.99 plus $1 extra
for fattoush instead of salad).
Continue reading below
Karageozian's food at Noor Mediterranean Grill, a 24-seat spot he owns
with his wife, Hilda Darian, could be going onto tables at a much
fancier spot. The Lebanese-born Karageozian, 32, who is Armenian,
cooked at a luxury Hotel InterContinental in Beirut and came to the
United States after he met Darian, also 32 and Armenian, who was born
and raised in Somerville close to the Powder House Square restaurant.
The two opened Noor (in Armenian, the name means pomegranate, a symbol
of prosperity and fertility) in January in a former breakfast spot
that needed a complete renovation. They installed vertical
charbroilers for shawarma, like the intensely hot ones Karageozian
used in Beirut, but the duo couldn't put in an open fire, which they
also wanted. Still, the food that comes off the gas grill has an
appealing smokiness that enhances wraps and dinners.
The lule kebab dinner.
One of the best wraps looks ordinary, but is made with saj bread, a
whole-wheat round that is so thin you can almost see through it.
Before he fills it, Karageozian takes the large bread, folds it into a
pie-shaped wedge, tears off the lacy edges, and unwraps it just enough
to keep four layers. For saj filled with falafel ($9.39), he mounds
the chickpea batter onto a tiny hand-held metal pedestal, shapes the
batter into a smooth round, then drops it in hot oil. Crisp, golden
balls, flecked with lots of parsley, are nestled on the bread with a
creamy tahini sauce and long, deliciously sour pickles. Then this
extraordinary packet is griddled briefly.
NOOR MEDITERRANEAN GRILL
136 College Ave., Powder House Square, Somerville 617-625-6667.
http://www.noorgrill.com
Liquor:NoneSuggested dish:Tabbouli, baba ghanoush, hummus, falafel
wrap with saj bread, beef shawerma wrap, lule kebab dinner, chicken
kebab dinner, veggie lover's plate.Prices:Appetizers $1.49-$5.99.
Wraps $8.39-$10.79. Dinners $8.99-$13.79. Desserts $3.99.Hours:Sun 11
a.m.-9 p.m., Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-10 p.m.Credit cards:All major credit
cards.Handicap accessibility:Restroom not wheelchair accessible.
Seta (pronounced seh-tah) Dakessian of Seta's Cafe in Belmont is the
gold standard of Armenian fare in this region, and Karageozian is
right behind her. His citrusy tabbouli ($5.99) is mostly parsley with
just enough bulgur to hold it together. Sarma, an old family recipe
for stuffed grape leaves ($1.49 each), are filled with a tender
vegetarian rice and tomato mixture. Beef shawarma ($8.99 wrap, $10.99
dinner) is succulent meat cut off the vertical roaster, and marinated
chicken kebab ($9.79 wrap, $12.39 dinner) is cooked just until
caramelized at the edges. A veggie dinner ($8.99) offers heaping
portions of tabbouli, fattoush, hummus, and baba ghanoush or grape
leaves on a salad. Whatever you order, you'll probably take something
home.
One night, we are enjoying Karageozian's cooking and asking lots of
questions. He slips out from behind the counter and brings us a sample
of smoky baba ghanoush blended with tahini sauce and sprinkled with
pomegranate seeds ($3.99), and tells us we should try it.
"In Armenia, they can be the poorest people and they'll put everything
on the table for you," says Darian, who feeds the couple's
22-month-old son Noor's rice, lule kebab, and fattoush.
When the duo ran out of money, they made do with tables that fit the
space but are tacky to the touch, as if Con-Tact paper had been pulled
off and the glue stayed behind. "I hate them," says Darian. "They've
got to go." They're waiting to make enough money for the purchase.
With food this good and a name that symbolizes prosperity, that will
undoubtedly happen soon.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2014/09/23/traditional-armenian-specialties-somerville-made-with-care/SEHl9Vq2TVDZn0bqdhXVcP/story.html
Boston Globe, MA
Sept 24 2014
By Sheryl Julian
Arsen Karageozian is standing behind a glass case at Noor
Mediterranean Grill with rows of colorful Lebanese salads, bottles of
dressing, and stacks of pita in front of him. He starts to build a
wrap and first stacks two rounds of pita that have been separated from
one puffy round, sets them rough sides up slightly overlapping, and
begins to layer. Nothing here seems haphazard. Karageozian works fast
and carefully and when the sandwich is rolled up and tight, he looks
satisfied.
He takes the same care with lule kebab, mounding classic fattoush
salad with toasted pita next to rice pilaf simmered with golden pasta
strands, with the juicy beef skewers on the side ($10.99 plus $1 extra
for fattoush instead of salad).
Continue reading below
Karageozian's food at Noor Mediterranean Grill, a 24-seat spot he owns
with his wife, Hilda Darian, could be going onto tables at a much
fancier spot. The Lebanese-born Karageozian, 32, who is Armenian,
cooked at a luxury Hotel InterContinental in Beirut and came to the
United States after he met Darian, also 32 and Armenian, who was born
and raised in Somerville close to the Powder House Square restaurant.
The two opened Noor (in Armenian, the name means pomegranate, a symbol
of prosperity and fertility) in January in a former breakfast spot
that needed a complete renovation. They installed vertical
charbroilers for shawarma, like the intensely hot ones Karageozian
used in Beirut, but the duo couldn't put in an open fire, which they
also wanted. Still, the food that comes off the gas grill has an
appealing smokiness that enhances wraps and dinners.
The lule kebab dinner.
One of the best wraps looks ordinary, but is made with saj bread, a
whole-wheat round that is so thin you can almost see through it.
Before he fills it, Karageozian takes the large bread, folds it into a
pie-shaped wedge, tears off the lacy edges, and unwraps it just enough
to keep four layers. For saj filled with falafel ($9.39), he mounds
the chickpea batter onto a tiny hand-held metal pedestal, shapes the
batter into a smooth round, then drops it in hot oil. Crisp, golden
balls, flecked with lots of parsley, are nestled on the bread with a
creamy tahini sauce and long, deliciously sour pickles. Then this
extraordinary packet is griddled briefly.
NOOR MEDITERRANEAN GRILL
136 College Ave., Powder House Square, Somerville 617-625-6667.
http://www.noorgrill.com
Liquor:NoneSuggested dish:Tabbouli, baba ghanoush, hummus, falafel
wrap with saj bread, beef shawerma wrap, lule kebab dinner, chicken
kebab dinner, veggie lover's plate.Prices:Appetizers $1.49-$5.99.
Wraps $8.39-$10.79. Dinners $8.99-$13.79. Desserts $3.99.Hours:Sun 11
a.m.-9 p.m., Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-10 p.m.Credit cards:All major credit
cards.Handicap accessibility:Restroom not wheelchair accessible.
Seta (pronounced seh-tah) Dakessian of Seta's Cafe in Belmont is the
gold standard of Armenian fare in this region, and Karageozian is
right behind her. His citrusy tabbouli ($5.99) is mostly parsley with
just enough bulgur to hold it together. Sarma, an old family recipe
for stuffed grape leaves ($1.49 each), are filled with a tender
vegetarian rice and tomato mixture. Beef shawarma ($8.99 wrap, $10.99
dinner) is succulent meat cut off the vertical roaster, and marinated
chicken kebab ($9.79 wrap, $12.39 dinner) is cooked just until
caramelized at the edges. A veggie dinner ($8.99) offers heaping
portions of tabbouli, fattoush, hummus, and baba ghanoush or grape
leaves on a salad. Whatever you order, you'll probably take something
home.
One night, we are enjoying Karageozian's cooking and asking lots of
questions. He slips out from behind the counter and brings us a sample
of smoky baba ghanoush blended with tahini sauce and sprinkled with
pomegranate seeds ($3.99), and tells us we should try it.
"In Armenia, they can be the poorest people and they'll put everything
on the table for you," says Darian, who feeds the couple's
22-month-old son Noor's rice, lule kebab, and fattoush.
When the duo ran out of money, they made do with tables that fit the
space but are tacky to the touch, as if Con-Tact paper had been pulled
off and the glue stayed behind. "I hate them," says Darian. "They've
got to go." They're waiting to make enough money for the purchase.
With food this good and a name that symbolizes prosperity, that will
undoubtedly happen soon.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2014/09/23/traditional-armenian-specialties-somerville-made-with-care/SEHl9Vq2TVDZn0bqdhXVcP/story.html