Cool location but subpar food. Hard to find seating as well.
We have eaten food here for many years and it is usually pretty good. I tried something different tonight, hoping that it would be good...their Greek Grilled Cheese... It had 2 small slices of tomato and just enough basil and feta to tease me... mostly it was a wrap of cheese. If it had much more tomato, feta and basil/pesto, then they would really have something wonderful! As it is, don't bother putting it on the menu!
Nice Hot Coco
Hadn't eaten here in many years and stopped in on a Monday evening for a light dinner. It was confusing at first because there were several customers milling around and no staff person acknowledged us. Then someone who looked like a manager came out and took our order, but he didn't ask for our name or give us a number to take to our table. He said we could swap out chips for one of their housemade sides. We ordered two ice teas with mint, a chicken shawarma and a Greek wrap. We were handed two hot mint teas instead of our ice teas (okay, maybe he misheard me). When I saw the receipt that was emailed to us, we were charged extra fees for the two sides -- they never mentioned that. When our food order was ready, a server was walking around looking for our number but we were never handed one. I had to show her our number on the receipt that was emailed to us. We enjoyed the food, but the service was very uneven. I know getting good help is hard for restaurants right now but the man who took our order was clearly a supervisor of some sort and should have done better.
This restaurant is close to our home, and it offers food my husband tends to like. I like their chicken salad and their Lebanese green beans--and their baba ganouj, when they have it. The spanakopita is pretty good, and their tzatziki sauce is delightful. They also do a pretty good job of handling curbside orders. Pick-up areas are clearly designated, and delivery to the car is good. Their weakness is in flexibility. On one of my recent orders, they were out of two of the sides I wanted to order, and they flatly refused to sub a cup of soup, which is similarly priced. Another weakness is rigidity of menu and their rare offering of baba ganouj. I know hummus is similar, but I don't like the graininess, preferring the smoothly blended eggplant.
This used to be a weekly dining experience even when it went to exclusively takeout because of the pandemic. But the limited sides options have also limited my interest and the number of visits.
I started coming to this restaurant in the late 80's. For two decades it was excellent. Now the service is appalling and the food blah. We were there about four months ago and the service was poor. We decided on one more visit. On our visit in October, we stood patiently at the cash register to place our order. There were four employees standing within 10 feet,. One was cutting a cake into slices for presentation, two were not doing anything and one was on her cell phone. There was no one else ordering. Their attitude was that we were interrupting their leisure. The sandwiches were at best OK, and the spanikopita was room temperature. Then after the meal, at 7:30 PM we ordered coffee and paid for it. After a few minutes we were told they had turned off the coffee makers and we could get a refund on the credit card. We loved this place for 25 years, but we will not be back. Parenthetically, I have not seen the owner there in a year. Perhaps this is the problem.
I finally found my favorite place in the Durham area. The only excellent I have given in this area goes to Saladelia. Love everything about this clean, cozy, affordable, friendly restaurant. A super menu that includes salads, soups, kabobs, sandwiches, breakfast and super desserts, coffee's and teas. Yes, this place has it all. Located in a small strip mall just off University, there is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating that is way more comfortable than any other place I have found. Atmosphere is super, even the music is played at a decent level and is so pleasant to listen to. Go up to the counter and order, choosing your sides from the glass case so you can see what you are ordering. Find your comfy spot and they will bring your food to you quickly and it will be hot! Imagine that!!!! These folks get everything right...the kabobs I had were hot, flavorful and not dried out like most places. I had the beet salad which was excellent and the roasted veggies which were heated on my request and very fresh. I could not resist the boston creme cake...was a huge piece and excellent. They had cupcakes, cookies and several cakes to choose from. There is so much on the menu I want to try....I have to return soon. Thank you to the young men who were so patient and kind to a first timer and explained everything so well. You made dining at Saladelia an excellent expeience, which is rare. See you soon!
We keep coming back because they consistantly have good food and great portions. We never leave hungry. We both ordered the meat lasagna with red beets and a fatush salad. An excellent combination of flavors and textures. Very well prepared. Kind and friendly staff. We always have a satisfying experience. Our go to place on a Saturday. Now that is a happy customer. As is the one taking the picture.
Great coffee! Pro tip: bring your own mug for a discount on drip coffee