Home kebabs, trolling the Terminal

This is an excerpt from Craig LaBan's online chat.

Craig LaBan: It's been a rewarding week on the drink-and-dine trail for me. I also had a chance to cook this weekend for the first time in a while: lamb and chicken kebabs (just dusted with exotic ras el hanout spice mix and slathered with chermoula cilantro paste), served over fluffy couscous with a zucchini-chickpea ragout stewed in a spicy tomato-zucchini broth.

When I was on the hunt for ingredients at the Reading Terminal, absolute mobs clogged the aisles and lunch counters (you'd think the pork sandwich at DiNic's was the Liberty Bell . . .). The new super-sized Convention Center has pumped an enormous amount of traffic into those already busy aisles - which is a good thing, overall, for the health of our institution. But wow, what a hassle for regular shoppers.

The new Molly Molloy's has also opened, replacing the dingy old beer garden with a potentially exciting addition - a bright and ambitious gastropub-grill. It's appealing in concept, with a lively and open vibe, tons of great local beers on tap, and some flat-screen TVs for a little sports-bar action. But the food on display in the glass case . . . ? Ugh, not promising at all. Dried out and messy sandwiches, and muffins that were just ugly. Hopefully, this new kitchen's getting up to speed - but a display case, I believe, is supposed to be enticing, not send customers the other way.

On the positive side, I still found plenty of great items at the market, including the unexpected surprise of this favorite new ingredient at Iovine's - fresh green chickpeas, which I'd seen only once before at a farmer's market this summer. Five minutes in boiling salted water, then drizzled with olive oil, salt, and a squeeze of lemon, and you'll never look at another salad bar garbanzo bean the same.

Reader: Had a nice meal at Fare, bison burger, very good, and partner had ancho flank steak, both very good. Been there? Thoughts? Went there after learning L'Oca is now closed.

C.L.: Glad to hear a good word on Fare, the "good for you" locally sourced ingredient restaurant in Fairmount that has had a rough go so far in early reviews. It's on my radar still, though, so it's nice to get a positive report. ... As for L'Oca, I'll be very curious to try the new project there - Hickory Lane, from former Rouge chef Matt Zagorski - when it opens, possibly this December. Prime location for prison fans.

Reader: I'd stand in a line for one of those kebabs ... but if you're not going to open a retail operation, I'll fall back on Chaikhana Uzbekistan. I've gone a couple of times recently and while everything was delicious, their kebabs are just ridiculously good. The lamb ribs and the "lula" in particular. Thanks for the heads-up on that place a few years ago.

C.L.: You all would be complaining about how slow my kebab shop was, instead of how slow I type this chat. But ... there's no competing with the pros at Uzbekistan up on Bustleton in the Northeast. May be the best lamb restaurant in the city, especially if you like gnawing on ribs and fluffy mounds of garlicky lamb "plov" pilaf. ...

Reader: Village Whiskey! What are your thoughts? I find it has one of the best burgers in the city.

C.L.: No, it's not "one of" the best burgers in town. It is the best burger in town. Was there recently, just to double check. ...

Reader: Had a great meal at Zahav this past weekend. This time I remembered my magnifying glass and used my phone's flashlight app for the menu. What gives?

C.L.: It's not that bad (I was just there. ...) A flashlight is always handy for moody-restaurant menus. Then again, you might just need new glasses!