If you’re searching for an alternative to convenient but sometimes-boring campus cooking, then look no further than Mona’s Café. Delivering tasteful Middle Eastern cuisine, Mona’s is both economical and easily accessible to Loyola students. The restaurant, located at 3151 Calhoun St., is just a short five-minute drive from main campus.
At Mona’s, everything is made fresh onsite. Despite what many people might presume, the cuisine offers a healthy variety while still delighting the palate.
One waitress commented, “People assume that since it looks different, it won’t taste as good, and then they find out it’s really good.”
A popular appetizer at the restaurant, the fried kibby, consists of two quarter-pound kibby loaves made with cracked wheat, which are then stuffed with ground beef, spiced ground lamb, onion and pine nuts. The final product comes out looking like two footballs that could easily be served as snacks at weekend gatherings. The taste is different, but delicious.
A lighter appetizer, the zaater bread, is basically pita bread baked with olive oil that has been mixed with ground thyme, oregano, sesame seeds and sumac. The taste is somewhat lacking, and more on the bitter side. Dipping it in Mona’s fresh hummus dip, made of ground chickpeas, garlic and olive oil, kicks up the flavor.
On any given night, the two most popular entrees at Mona’s are the shawarma and the gyro plate. The shawarma consists of boneless chicken thigh strips, marinated with herbs and spices. While you might think that all chicken tastes basically the same, Mona’s comes out tasting different from chicken dishes you try anywhere else; perhaps it’s the Middle Eastern recipe.
If you have never had lamb and want to try it at its best, the gyro plate is perfect; it comes with spiced lamb and beef with tahini sauce, which gives the lamb and beef even more kick. Both the shawarma and gyro plate entrees come with salad and humus dip.
There are also unique beverages you have to try at Mona’s. The mango juice, for instance, is really sweet and thick like molasses. While Mona’s does not serve alcoholic beverages, guests are allowed to bring their own spirits.
Not to forget dessert, Mona’s baklava is layered phyllo dough with walnut and honey, and is made on location.
If you don’t feel like going out, Mona’s delivers between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m, although there is a minimum order of $7. Two people eating at Mona’s can expect to spend anywhere from $15 to $30. But you can also expect to leave Mona’s feeling full, and the feeling might last a while.
Thomas Slack can be reached at [email protected].
