San Juan has been a foodie haven for years and I feel so lucky to be living in a neighborhood where many fantastic dining places have flourished. Sultan Mediterranean Grill joins the roster of my recommended restaurants in our area, populated mostly by Asian eateries and cafés. Finally, I don't have to drive to a mall to get my mid-east-mediterranean fix. Konting tumbling lang, nasa Sultan-Wilson nako. Heehee!
The interiors are modern and spacious, with white-washed walls and a distinct mediterranean feel especially when you see the accent colors and the wall with gorgeous tiles. Sayang nga I arrived late and was not able to take more photos of the restaurant anymore coz there was a steady stream of diners coming in. Good business!
My friends and I were treated to some of Sultan's specialties that made us all so full and happy. Even the kids who joined our lunch seemed to enjoy their dishes.
Here's our authentic mediterranean lunch at Sultan:
FALAFEL for starters. These are fried balls of mashed chickpeas mixed with fragrant spices, on a bed of hummus and chopped veggies. Served with pita. I'm not big on chickpeas so I only had one ball. I had to say I liked the soft-crunchy contrast of this one.
Not your ordinary CHICKEN CURRY. As expected, the chicken was perfectly cooked in this thick sauce, with a curry spice flavor that's not overpowering to the palette. It was good.
For sharing, this KEBAB PLATTER lets you choose any 4 sticks of kebab or koobideh (grilled minced meat).
We had beef, chicken, lamb, and beef koobideh. All the meats were tasty, but a bit overcooked for me. This value-for-money platter goes well with the spiced yogurt sauce (which they have on every table) and any of their rice. The platter comes with grilled tomato.
If you order a regular kebab plate with 1 stick of kebab or koobideh, it will be served with salad, grilled tomato, and rice.
You can always add any Extras to your meat platters, like french fries, grilled tomato and onion, feta cheese. Or maybe upgrade your rice from plain to buttered, or to this flavorful beryani rice. We all loved it!
The 3 stand-out dishes for me are... (drum roll)...
BRAISED LAMB SHANKS -- moist and fall-off-the-bone tender, stewed and braised with spices and served with buttered rice. No gamey, funky aftertaste that I was expecting! Winner!!! The gravy gave it a boost of flavor as well.
For someone who was never fond of lamb, I even surprised myself by having much more than my usual bite-sized cut of lamb meat. It was so good, I finished more than half the plate of rice which was meant for sharing, hehehehe! This plate did not leave my side.
Here's the clincher: All four of us admitted we're not fans of lamb, but it was unanimous that this lamb shank was the star of our lunch. Definitely a must-try!
Another memorable dish was this traditional Greek dish -- MOUSSAKA. Mmmmmm...
It's creamy and cheesy, with generous layers of minced beef and eggplant. It looked like a lasagna, served with warm pita. Pang-comfort food. This was wiped out!
Hot off the grill, these beef kebabs made up the SOUVLAKI PLATTER.
Beef was moist, tender and well-seasoned (you can also request for lamb), with french fries and salad on the side. These were perfectly grilled. I also ate this with more rice! =)
If you're into yogurt and fruit shakes, you can have your fix here. They can combine both in one smoothie. I gave their Mango Yogurt Shake a try and it was just okay for me, not as sweet and creamy like a regular milkshake, which I expected. My friends liked their yogurt shakes. I'd go for a regular fruit shake next time, or just have Iced Tea.
After all the delicious grilled and saucy meats and carbs, time to cleanse our palette. We were so excited to try their unique ice cream flavors. After the first taste, we all agreed lahat masarap! Serious.
Take your pick, clockwise from top: NUTS & ROSES with chopped pistachio and sweet rose essence; BASIL is creamy and with a basil-fresh taste; SILKY AMBER is a decadent salted butter caramel flavor.
From their successful restaurant in Salcedo Village, Makati to this new branch on a quiet strip along Wilson street, Sultan Mediterranean Grill will surely create another steady following with their flavorful specialties. Its family-friendly ambiance plus reasonably priced meals are major draws as well. For about PhP250, you can already have a very tasty and satisfying kebab rice plate and drink!
Look at us, big smiles
talaga sa busog! Thank you for having us,
SULTAN! I'll be back, for sure.
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