The Shish Cafe

If there hadn't been a bug floating in my water, I might not be writing this post. If the waiter had apologized for aforementioned bug in my water, I might not be writing this post. If perhaps they'd tried to make amends, say, a small discount on the bill, I might not be writing this post. But, to the contrary, the bug in the water appeared to be my fault, or at least, a big inconvenience to my waiter that he had to bring me another glass of water. And thus, I'm writing this post about my impressions during my last visit to what had been, a favorite Middle Eastern restaurant in Madison.

The Shish Cafe has long been a family favorite, one of those restaurants where even if everything on the menu isn't perfect, you've enjoyed so many memorable meals you forgive the slight imperfections. The hummus, for example, has always been dry and lacking flavor (quite a grievance for such a staple on a Middle Eastern menu) but the tabouli (light on the barley and just tart enough to be interesting) makes up for it.

On the "bug in the water night" however, neither favorable memories nor the tabouli could make up for an evening of very poor service and disappointing entrees. We were seated immediately, but once at our table saw no one for a good ten minutes. Looking around the small restaurant it appeared about half full, not exactly full enough to merit neglecting hungry customers that long. When the basket of warm pita bread arrived I was thinking all would be forgiven; how can one hold a grudge when dipping a homemade warm fresh pita into olive oil infused with zataar? Yet, the pita was overdone and crispy, so my frustration with the evening grew.

We finally placed our order while making sure to ask for another basket of pita and to please re-fill our water glasses, as unless we specifically asked, the smallish water glasses remained emptied all evening. Our cucumber mint yogurt salad arrived along with the fatiera hed we'd ordered as an appetizer. Both were much larger in proportion that we'd anticipated. The salad far exceeded any expectations; the romaine lettuce was crisp, the mint yogurt sauce cool and just tart enough, and somehow they'd managed to find tomatoes that weren't dreadful in December. The fatiera hed, basically a middle eastern pizza, was good, but not as good as I'd remembered. The crust on the flat bread was a bit soggy and it also was cool enough to suggest it had been sitting for a little while too long. The flavor of the feta cheese and spicy red sauce did make up for it enough for us both to have a few pieces along with the salad though.

Our entrees arrived and I eagerly abandoned the soggy fatiera hed crust to dive into the Shish Sea Bass. I'd ordered this on a previous visit and had been blown over by the delicate way they'd handled the fish. On this particular night, however, it seemed nothing was as I'd remembered. While the fish was at least not overcooked, it was much greasier and saltier than I'd remembered. Same went for the basmati rice. Both were made more palatable by borrowing some yogurt sauce from the salad, but it was a disappointment to say the least. Trying some of my husband's lamb borek, I was as equally surprised to find the lamb completely dried out while the borek crust remained greasy; it seemed to me an accomplishment in and of itself to create an entree that was at once both dry and greasy, though I not sure it's an accomplishment one should brag about.

Having asked for refills of water when the entrees came, I at this point noticed the small black bug innocently striding across my water glass. After several attempts we flagged down our waiter, who, amazingly did not apologize nor appear embarrassed; rather, he appeared annoyed as he looked down in the glass and we suggested he bring us another glass.

Having lived in a third world country in Central America, I've eaten/drank my fair share of bugs with a meal; I'm don't consider myself very squeamish. However, when one is paying $16.99 for lamb borek and the like, one expects the water to be free of any surprises.

The saving grace of the meal was that we didn't pay for most of it. No, management did not give us any discounts; we thankfully had a gift certificate. Thus, we left the Shish Cafe only owing $8.00 of our own cash, which was about what we thought that meal was worth anyway.

I can't say I'll never go back to the Shish Cafe; the cucumber mint yogurt salad was just too good to swear off completely just now. But if we have more evenings like the above, we may find ourselves driving down University Avenue and passing right by the Shish and continuing on towards the pricier Lulu's to satisfy our Middle Eastern cravings.

(Upon our return I was left craving a decent taste of hummus so the next day I made a batch using my favorite hummus recipe from America's Test Kitchen. I've modified it only slightly to taste.)