Sultans of Shazam

Shish Kabobs, not shishy fa fa, rule at classy Kazimi's

Gene Padden

At Kazimi's in Kingston, there's no shortage of unique dishes catering to those with a craving for Middle Eastern flavor. The menu offers everything from broiled crab cakes to Baba Ghannouge, with traditional Italian favorites lurking within the ranks.



Funny, then, that the signature dish at this fine dining establishment is a salad.



Visit Kazimi's on a hoppin' Saturday night, for example, and you'll catch a glimpse of one of the area's most endearing restaurant owners, Kal Kazimi, wheeling his kitchen cart around the dining room. Kazimi rolls up tableside, where he entertains guests and prepares his famous Caesar salad from scratch.



"This is something I've wanted to do for a very long time," he said. "I love people, and you meet so many here and I just want them all to be happy.



"It's a nice touch and it's become a signature item. They get to see the freshness of the garlic and anchovies, and it's an opportunity for me to get to know people more."



On a typical Saturday night, Kazimi will accommodate 20-25 tables that order the salad. When we recently sat down with him, an injured back had slowed him slightly, but it wasn't about to disrupt salad service.



"I will still make it if someone asks," he said. "I do this for pride more than anything else."



Kazimi earned an electrical engineering degree from Jordan University. He moved to the States in 1986, and by the following year, had drastically changed his interests to the food and beverage industry. Kazimi worked for Genetti's Best Western in Wilkes-Barre for 18 years before embracing the opportunity to open his restaurant in 2004.



"I started waiting tables, and I felt the value of customer service," he said. "Food is a great thing to know a lot about. I learned the industry, and I was working 16-17 hours a day, and it was a joy for me to have such an active job.



"When the opportunity came, I just felt it was time to do something different."



Kazimi's is on Schuyler Avenue in Kingston, behind Wyoming Seminary. Though it's a few blocks removed from the traffic of Wyoming Avenue, the restaurant has won multiple awards among diamond city readers through the years, including Best Mediterranean and Best Dessert categories. The cakes and tarts are baked from scratch, so you will wait 20 or so minutes. But you'll need that time to rave about the entrees.



Kazimi's has contrasting lunch and dinner menus. Lunch is served weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the meals are priced accordingly. Meaty sandwiches include the Sesame Chicken Caesar, San Francisco Crab Melt, Falafel, hoagies, and gyros. Entrees range from traditional cheese ravioli and chicken parmesan to Flat Iron Steak and Asian Sesame Chicken or Salmon salads.



Dinner hours include the famous Caesar salad along with pasta, seafood, and poultry dishes and Shish Kabobs. Steaks, filets, and lamb chops are popular meals, and you should order a few Middle Eastern starters like Hummus, spinach pies, or Mousaka.



"We wanted to serve Middle Eastern food for something different," he said. "People weren't familiar with it, but through experience they learn.



"People need to know about heritage. This area is getting bigger, and it needs different traditions. This area could really be special."



While the decor and food specials reflect an upscale dining experience, Kazimi is cautious about misleading customers.



"No one should be intimidated by fine dining," he said. "Even though we use fresh seafood and natural beef, and make every meal from scratch, our menu is affordable.



"People feel that this is a special place, and you can come here for a special occasion, but you can also stop by and visit us for lunch."



The Kazimi's dining room is 90-percent non-smoking, and the menu will change every six to eight months. The restaurant also has a bar area and a banquet facility to host 150 people.