Baghdad Kabab

So I used to eat here because it  was cheap and fairly tasty. Then helpful EveryBlock informed me that they've failed inspections several times, for offenses that included storing open food in disgusting locations. Can't bring myself to go back.

My first day in Chicago, my friend ignorant of albany park district read something about a korean population here and thought it would be a good idea to go there to eat.

Alas, Seoul Drive is no more and is swallowed by a mixture of a Mexican and Middle Eastern Ghetto.

Stumbled upon this restaurant and ordered a Lamb Kellaya. I just wanted to try something new.

-Upon tasting,  "I thought, why did they serve me pork when I asked for lamb?  And isn't pork not halal.  I want my ****** 12 dollars back."
-I wouldn't eat this pita bread if they paid me money to do it
- This gross food is made worse by the public restroom smell in the restaurant
-They didn't have yogurt

Never having kallaya, I can still tell they made it wrong.  If I order something from a middle eastern restaurant, albeit new and something I never had, I still hope to say that it was both middle eastern, delicious (and new).  This tasted like crap somebody threw together with leftover ingredients. ketchup, pork, tomatoes and bell peppers.  

Questions raced through my mind why the food was as bad as it was, and why I was paying a hefty price where I could have gotten gourmet and be satisfied.

Did coming from California raise my expectation for food. No.  The food here is simply disgusting.

My friend and I wound up at Baghdad Kabab on Friday after we had tried to eat at another restaurant but found it closed (for good). It's a tricky business to run a restaurant, and Baghdad Kabab has lots of competition on the Kedzie corridor of Middle Eastern restaurants. Despite its prominent corner location, Baghdad does not get mentioned too much. We came in before 7PM and were a bit concerned that there were no other diners around (the sign says they are open 24 hours). Eventually a few other people trickled in. The interior is fairly comfortable, and the giant TV screen played mostly ethnic music videos, which created an appropriate mood for our dinner.  

We ordered a small order of 6 falafels as appetizers, which were OK but a definite also-ran amongst better falafel selections that can be had along Kedzie. Our meals did come with a big bowl of lentil soup, which I did not expect. The soup was good and filling. We also received a basket of pita bread. My friend's salmon was his second choice after the waitress said they were out of tilapia. I went with kefta kabab after I heard they might have been out of my first selection (see a trend?) but I am always happy with kefta - the semi-spicy minced meat is a safe choice for me. Both dishes came with a substantial pile of yellow rice, and we both wound up with doggie bags but passed on dessert.