Carnivore Mediterranean Cuisine

currently eating the beef shawarma entree. the meat is juicy, the hot sauce is hot, just like i like it. the owner is a really, really good man. business has been slow there lately, but i predict it'll pick up if he keeps up the good work.

As with real estate, three very important factors for restaurants can also be LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. The good part for Carnivore is that it's just steps off of the main drag of Devon Avenue, just a few blocks east of Western. The very bad part (at least for serendipitous discovery of this new family-run place) is that, if you aren't looking for it, it's more than likely that you'll never see it. Carnivore unfortunately sits in the middle of a section of Bell Street which is one-way, but being north of Devon, in the "wrong" direction, south. You can't turn onto this part of Bell from busy Devon. And, because of the fenced in park and golf course north of it, there is no easy route to it from the north. One way to get onto Bell going south is to be heading east on one-way Arthur (just north of the restaurant) and then turn south at Bell. An alternate route, the alley right at the fence line north of Arthur, is only for the adventurous. It's no wonder there's plenty of street parking (city metered) outside Carnivore!

Finding just how to get here (better if on foot) is well worth it. I came specifically to pick up a carry-out of the "business lunch special," a boxed combination offering a good sampling of the fare at Carnivore: beef shish kabob, kifta kabob (a ground beef and onion mixture), chicken shawarma, and falafel. All were cooked just right and in bite-sized pieces on a bed of flavorful rice pilaf. On the side was a generous salad of lettuce, tomato and green pepper. It also came with two warm pitas sliced into quarters and my choice of spicy or mild tahini sauce. The quantity of food was just enough for lunch for one. Earlier reviews show a price for this lunch special at about $1 less than what I paid just 30 days later. It is still a bargain for what you get.

While I waited for my order being prepared on the spot, I spoke with the friendly owner and got to look around at the caramel-colored walls, modern hanging lamps, beautiful photos of middle-eastern sights, and live palm plants within Carnivore. This would be a very pleasant place to have a meal with friends. The music over the stereo was low-keyed and it's fully air-conditioned. The two-store-front space is divided into the dining room in one space and the mixed room for the kitchen, service counter, and overflow seating in the other. I hope people will find or look for this place. You will be rewarded with good food at reasonable prices for the effort.