Chickening out

It started as a grand scheme: check out the Mediterranean places that have arisen in the past couple of years to challenge Zankou’s rotisserie chicken and garlic sauce. To begin with, there were three: Zorba (on Foothill Boulevard), Golden Grill (on Colorado Boulevard) and Soumarelo (on Allen Avenue). We thought we’d grab a chicken from Zankou, one bird from each of the competitors, gather a few guinea pigs, savor and assess.

Alas, it was not to be. Even with the temptation of free food, enough tasters to warrant the purchase of four chickens could not be rounded up. In addition, by the time two birds had been purchased, along with three sides, pita and sauce for each, my car was permeated with garlic and stuffed with bags. My bill was already close to $40, and I rationalized that the quality of the food already in the car would be compromised if I tried to add in two more stops before lunch.

So, changing plans and directions in mid-boulevard, I left Zankou and Zorba for a later challenge and headed to my friend’s office with enough food for her and several other employees. And there, in her lunchroom, we attempted the task of deciding which establishment — Soumarelo or Golden Grill — was the best. Honest brokers, we first compared the chickens by eye. Both were plump, well-crisped and fragrant. When we cut into the breasts, they were moist (but not juicy).

We each took a favorite piece and then attempted to judge the sides. I had ordered tabbouleh, hummus and chopped eggplant “caviar” (ikra). Additionally, at Soumarelo, I’d picked up mutabal (also known as baba ganoush), the highly addictive smoky eggplant dip, which Golden Grill doesn’t stock except on its catering menu. With pita in hand, we tried each variant, took sips of water to cleanse our palates, and sampled again.

Findings: there’s no doubt that the owners of both family-run restaurants know how to cook. There was a slight preference for the more garlicky hummus and somewhat less sweet ikra from Golden Grill. The tabbouleh from each kitchen was equally pleasing — lots of lemon and green onion for tang, subtle mint undertones, more parsley than bulgur and tasty tomato. Perfect.

Then it was onward to the garlic sauce. Here we found a real difference. The mixture from Golden Grill was creamier and the garlic was toned down, like the horseradish sauce often served with roast beef. Soumarelo’s was deemed more “basic,” with the raw garlic essence untamed by the oil with which it was churned. It should come with an “avoid strangers after eating” warning label. But both went well with our chickens.

One noticeable difference was in the prices. Our Soumarelo chicken cost only a little less ($7.99) than the one from Golden Grill ($8.55), but it came with a side of rice, extra pita (four pieces instead of two) and more garlic sauce (again, four instead of two). Additionally, the ikra and hummus at Golden Grill were $3.99 and the tabbouleh was $3.25. At Soumarelo, the ikra was $2.99 and the others only $1.99. (All sides were packaged in four-ounce containers.) Thus, there was an $8 differential in the cost for almost identical meals.

However, even that difference wasn’t absolute. If, for instance, you were to order a half chicken, Golden Grill’s cost is almost $1 less than Soumarelo’s. And, even though we weren’t assessing the numerous kebabs that both restaurants provide, we could see from the menu that they were comparably priced ($9 to $10), with Soumarelo’s only slightly cheaper. And, judging from the ones I saw in preparation at Golden Grill, those skewers are massive!

Each of these places has specialties that might make it your first choice. Soumarelo offers pressed cheese and pressed soujouk (Armenian sausage) sandwiches for $4.99, a tasty midday treat. They also sell muhamara (walnut-pomegranate paste) for $2.99. All sides are available in much larger sizes (16 ounces) for a small surcharge of $3 — that’s a real bargain. And sides include kufta (spiced lamb croquettes — one of my faves) at $1.50 apiece.

At Golden Grill, there’s a fresh trout platter ($10.99), served with French fries, cabbage salad, pita and Greek peppers, that sounds tempting. And sides include macaroni salad, potato salad, mashed potatoes with gravy and corn, all designed to appeal to more generic American audiences. Happily, they deliver locally if your order totals more than $12. Both restaurants have sarma (stuffed grape leaves) and tahn (a refreshing yogurt beverage) at rock-bottom prices.

By lunch’s end, my panel and I had concluded only one thing: Golden Grill and Soumarelo provide filling and well-cooked meals that easily match Zankou’s more “assembly line” operation. We were stuffed and satisfied. And, as provider of the feast, I was especially happy to take home enough chicken to feed me and mine for another two days.