Tummies Won't Regret Visit to Larsa's

The North Shore is home to plenty of Mediterranean restaurants, but is the best I’ve tried. The large, flavorful portions make this casual spot well worth seeking out.

The simply decorated interior at 3724 W. Dempster St. in Skokie features brick walls and an Assyrian-style mural of people carrying food and playing musical instruments. Grapevines dangle from the overhead lamps and tables feature blue patterned tablecloths and matching chairs. A flat-screen TV tuned to sports hangs on one wall. Softly playing Arabic music helps created a relaxed ambiance.

The space was relatively quiet when we were there about 7 p.m. on a recent Thursday, mostly occupied by small groups ranging in age from 30-something to 60-plus. A server came to our table quickly and delivered  glasses of water while we perused the menu. She was very friendly and helpful throughout our stay, making sure everything was to our liking and bringing food, drink refills and to-go boxes quickly.

My boyfriend and I decided to start with the manna eash ($2.95), which the menu says is everyone’s favorite, and a Turkish coffee ($3). Neither of us had tried Turkish coffee before. It was served in a tiny brightly patterned cup with a matching saucer, and we passed it back and forth sipping the strong, almost smoky-tasting drink. It’s not something I’m likely to order again, but I appreciated the chance to try it and the lovely presentation.

Since it was our first time at Larsa’s, we wanted to try as much as possible-- so we ordered the Larsa’s combo plate ($12.95) and veggie plate ($10.95). All plates come with pita bread (75 cents a la carte) and a cup of lentil soup ($2.50 a la carte). The soup was excellent, packed with a variety of spices and minced vegetables. Mixing rice in with the lentils also gave it a heartier texture.

Our server also brought out a bowl of torshi ($3 a la carte). A traditional dish in Turkish and Persian cuisine, it features a mix of pickled vegetables including cauliflower, cabbage and carrots. The vegetables were pleasantly sour but also crisp, and we enjoyed snacking on them between courses.

The manna eash features four pieces of fluffy flatbread topped with a pesto-like sauce, olive oil and sesame seeds. The warm bread, savory spices and crunchy seeds created an excellent blend of flavors and textures. Our entrees came out soon afterward, so we decided to take half of the appetizer to go and work on the main course.

The combo plate features a mix of beef shawirma, chicken kabob and kifta kabob served with a pile of basmati rice. The thin slices of tender, well-marinated beef were excellent and the chicken was juicy and well seasoned. The kifta, a mix of charbroiled ground beef with chopped onions, parsley and spices, was fine. However, it didn’t stand out from versions of the dish I’ve had at other spots.

As much as my boyfriend enjoyed the meats, he was so impressed with my veggie plate that he wanted to eat more of it. The hummus was thick and rich without being oily, with a few whole chickpeas mixed in. The baba ghanouj was excellent, pureed so finely that the eggplant lost all texture and just became a sweet and creamy spread cut with the citrus of lemon. A few pomegranate seeds were mixed in, a particularly inspired garnish.

The large pieces of falafel were perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. The dolmas were the best I’ve ever had. I’ve often been disappointed by versions that consist of rubbery leaves wrapped around a bland interior. But at Larsa’s, the grape leaves were thin and almost crisp, revealing a delightful savory mix of rice and spices. Larsa’s pita is very thin so we couldn’t open it to create a pocket effect without ripping the bread to shreds. Instead, we just piled on the meats and spreads, and then folded the pita in on itself, which worked perfectly.

What impressed me most about Larsa’s was that nothing was too greasy. While I might enjoy the flavor of shawirma, falafel and hummus at other spots, my stomach often regretted it later. Not so with Larsa’s, which left me fully satisfied and eager to come back for more.