A SKEWER FOR WHAT AILS YOU.Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic Ventura Kabob had a big sign and a small space when ensconced en·sconce tr.v. en·sconced, en·sconc·ing, en·sconc·es 1. To settle (oneself) securely or comfortably: She ensconced herself in an armchair. 2. in Encino for five years. Now it has moved west to Tarzana where a Russian grocery and deli previously resided. It's noticeably bigger and has been nicely remodeled - check out that impressive ceiling - into a consumer-friendly, full-service Persian cafe that even features live music from 7 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. The fact that this area is kebab happy hasn't deterred chef-owner Fred Fard from putting his best kebabs forward. And rightly so. Fard's skewered goodies always show up moist and flavorful, cooked perfectly, denoting skillful skill·ful adj. 1. Possessing or exercising skill; expert. See Synonyms at proficient. 2. Characterized by, exhibiting, or requiring skill. seasoning and masterful marinating techniques. Whether it's marinated Cornish game hen ($11.99); seasoned ground beef and grated onions called chelo kebab koubideh ($8.99); or saffron yellow a shade of yellow like that obtained from the stigmas of the true saffron (Crocus sativus). See also: Saffron , marinated boneless Bone´less a. 1. Without bones. Adj. 1. boneless - being without a bone or bones; "jellyfish are boneless" chicken kebab ($12.99), the kitchen delivers tasty, satisfying portions of skewered goodness. Accompaniments of light, puffy basmati rice bas·ma·ti rice n. An aromatic long-grain rice from India. [Hindi b  smat and grilled tomato halves add to each plate's gratification quotient. For those who like the homey quality of lamb shanks
The shanks and tattlers are wading bird species in a number of genera characterised by a medium length bill and long, often brightly coloured legs. , here they provide a filling, flavorful meal ($10.99) and a colorful one, too. That's because chef Fard adds dill and fava beans to his fluffy basmati rice portion with the lamb, giving it a greenish hue along with its good taste. But entrees are not the only things worth applauding from Ventura Kabob's kitchen. The shirazi salad ($3.50) is delightful. It's the kind of balanced chopped salad that has all the needed characteristics. Cucumbers and tomatoes are diced into small cubes along with chopped onions and parsley. A simple dressing of olive oil olive oil, pale yellow to greenish oil obtained from the pulp of olives by separating the liquids from solids. Olive oil was used in the ancient world for lighting, in the preparation of food, and as an anointing oil for both ritual and cosmetic purposes. and lemon juice coats each ingredient. The result is the right degree of harmonious textures from the fresh produce quartet, each contributing to the whole with refreshing, individual flavors. Soup ($3.50) here is often a barley recipe, not at all like European or domestic barley soup, but with barley cooked almost to complete softness into an almost-stewlike consistency, with herbs and vegetable nuances in the background. A shake or two of Middle Eastern sumac seasoning (on each table) gives an added flavor boost. Fard does several vegetarian dishes here and even his dolmeh (stuffed grape leaves Noun 1. stuffed grape leaves - well-seasoned rice (with nuts or currants or minced lamb) simmered or braised in stock dolmas dish - a particular item of prepared food; "she prepared a special dish for dinner" , $5.99) one day contained no meat. As for dips with pita wedges, something always sought as starters in Middle Eastern restaurants, Ventura Kabob offers several, including a delicious burani mixture ($2.99) of eggplant eggplant, name for Solanum melongena, a large-leaved woody perennial shrub (often grown as an annual herb) of the family Solanaceae (nightshade family), and also cultivated for its ovoid fruit. , garlic and mint and a cooling combination of cold yogurt and spinach ($3.50). If you like the latter dip, you'll also like the cold yogurt drink called dough (pronounced doog, $1.99) that reminds one of the Indian beverage lassi las·si n. pl. las·sis A beverage made of yogurt and water and flavored with spices, fruit, or other ingredients. [Hindi lass . Thankfully not sweet, you'd certainly want to finish it before going to those crunchy, sugary sug·ar·y adj. sug·ar·i·er, sug·ar·i·est 1. Characterized by or containing sugar: sugary foods. 2. Tasting or looking like sugar. 3. dessert concoctions called zulbia and bamieh ($2.50 each) made with wheat starch, sugar, honey and rosewater, or Persian baklava ($2.50). Incidentally, many of Ventura Kabob's entrees plus Fard's great salad or his soup are available Monday through Friday for lunch for only $7.99 for the two-course meal. It's a grand meal deal in a very nice dining room. VENTURA KABOB Where: 19548 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. When: Open for lunch, dinner and snacks from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily, to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lunch specials served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Recommended items: Shirazi salad, soup of the day Soup of the Day is the loosely scripted 2006 internet phenomenon that told the story of one man who is dating three women at the same time. Each of the 19-episodes of the story was its own 4-6 minute self-contained viral video. The entire series can be seen at [1] [2]. , burani eggplant dip, dolmeh stuffed grape leaves, yogurt with spinach dip, kebabs (Cornish game hen, boneless chicken, chelo koubideh ground beef), lamb shanks with green rice, cold yogurt drink, zulbia and bamieh desserts. Children's menu: Four meals for children under 10 ($5.99 each) include salad and rice. Choices are shish kebab, boneless chicken kebab, ground chicken kebab or ground beef kebab. How much: Starters from $2.50 to $6, entrees from $9 to $30, desserts $2.50 each. No alcohol. AE, MC, V, Discover. Reservations: Helpful. Especially on weekends. Call (818) 609-9988. Our rating: Three and one half stars for food; three stars for service. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Faramarz (Fred) Fard, chef-owner of Ventura Kabob, shows off a combination plate featuring Cornish game hen, basmati rice and grilled tomato. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer |
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