Meat Pie. Minced meat. Onions. Pine nuts. Spices. Phyllo dough.

Lamb Kabob. Marinated lamb. Choice of two sides: hummus, rice.

Phoenicia seems to be a very established Mediteranean restaurant in Metairie in the adjacent strip mall where Houston’s of Metairie used to be. I went on a Thursday night and I was the only person there until my friend arrived. That would make anyone feel a little uneasy, but the service was great and the food was good. Maybe Thursdays are just a slow night. I ordered the meat pie as a small appetizer. It’s baked, not fried, which is a plus, but I wished there was more meat and maybe more of a kick in flavor . The tabbouleh was to be expected. For my entree, both my friend and I ordered the lamb kabobs. Surprisingly, they were flavorful and juicy chunks of lamb as opposed to the ground lamb concoction that you usually get at some Mediterranean joints. Legit! I chose hummus as my side, because I love making my own little pita/hummus/lamb sandwiches.

I didn’t order much, but from what I saw, it was a good reflection of the quality that Phoenicia dishes out. My friend and I enjoyed our lamb dishes so much, we both ordered some to-go for our hubbies. Next time I’m in Metairie and have that craving, I’ll know where to go!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars (I debated between 3.5 and 4 stars, but ended up taking down .5 since I just wish the small dishes had a little more umph.)