At 101 Bistro in downtown Phoenix, you'll find many of the same Mediterranean-inspired kebabs, wraps, flatbreads and salads that are on the menu at Pita Jungle restaurants.

It's no coincidence. Owner-chef Samir Elkhodr was a chef for Pita Jungle for eight years before opening 101 Bistro, billed as a healthful Mediterranean grill, and his brother is a partner in the Pita Jungle franchise.

Their menus may be similar, but the crowds are different. Instead of the hippies and hipsters that fill Pita Jungle's eclectically decorated places, 101 Bistro has a more generic cafe setting that attracts downtown Phoenix workers seeking a sit-down meal at a reasonable price.

Dishes such as the beef kebab ($7.95) are worth leaving the office for. Lightly seasoned hunks of sirloin, green peppers, onions - all perfectly charred - plus lettuce and thin strips of pickles are cradled in a hummus-lined pita. The garlic fries on the side didn't taste much different from regular fries, but a side salad is another option.

You'll need two hands to tackle the chicken shawarma ($6.95), a pita stuffed with grilled marinated chicken strips, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles, coated in a creamy garlic dip. Fries or a salad come on the side, too.

The flatbread pizza ($8.75), on special the day of the review, is loaded with green peppers, tomatoes, olives, spinach and onions. The crust is thin and crispy, and there's just a light layer of cheese. We didn't ask for the nutritional information, but this seems like a healthful choice. You won't need to press it with a napkin, because there's no excess oil to sop up.

The mahi-mahi salad ($10.95), also a special menu item on the day of the review, features a generous fillet of the fish on an even more generous bed of mixed greens (you're a total champ if you clean the plate). It's topped with a fruit salsa of pineapple, cantaloupe and strawberries, which by itself is tart, tropical and delicious. But the dish just ends up tasting like, well, fish and fruit, not a cohesive entree.

You probably won't go back to the office with any fond memories of the shrimp con olio ($7.95), an appetizer of five shrimp and tomato wedges sauteed in extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, crushed peppers and parsley. The shrimp are swimming in the flavor-infused oil, which is meant to be mopped up with too-salty, Parmesan-topped pita triangles.

It's no surprise that baklava is on the dessert menu. But why order it when you can upgrade to the baklava coupe ($4.95), which Mercedes-Benz should consider naming its next car.

Pieces of baklava (neither the best nor worst you've ever had) rest on several scoops of green pistachio ice cream, which echoes the ground pistachios found between the pastry's flaky sheets of dough. Strawberry slices ring the dish. It's bright, decadent and little odd, but a worthwhile ending.


Author: Erica Sagon
Source: The Arizona Republic