Food Austin

Ararat - 111 E North Loop Blvd, Austin, 78751 – 512-419-1692

Ararat strikes the uninitiated as a shock; it is not like most of the restaurants that Austin is populated by.  It doesn’t have the "hip" feel like Wink or Uchi, and it’s not a hole in the wall like Austin Wok N’ Roll or Fish R’ Us, it tries hard to be authentic, with floor seating and a interior decked in out kilim carpets and deep colors.  You have the option of sitting on the floor or at a table, which is a nice touch.  The food which year after year wins raves from Austinites from all over town is truly Middle Eastern.  Various regions of the Middle East can be sampled in a meal, you can get the saffron rice of Iran or the hummus and baba ganoush from the Arabian regions.  The flavors are fused wonderfully in most of the dishes.  The ones that stick out are the sizzling lamb, which is tender and flavorful.  It is served with both flatbread and rice so you don’t have to choose, which one you are in the mood for.  The Ararat Salmon is also a great dish, and is done exceptionally well, so if you’re not in the mood for some red meat, you’re not out of luck.  There are also some vegetarian dishes on offer at Ararat as well (The felfel is a good option, as are the stuffed grape leaves), which makes for a menu that caters to almost all of those among us.  If you’re saving up for a Middle Eastern vacation, and only have the first 50 bucks or so saved up I would recommend heading over to Ararat and you can enjoy the Bedouin tent atmosphere and some good food without having to leave town.

Note: reservations recommended. Ararat is BYOB so plan accordingly.

Price: $ ($10-15 per entrée)

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