Middleton and the far west side of Madison have several restaurants, including Sofra and Freska, that serve Mediterranean fare. The area can now add another one to the tally with Taza.
The restaurant takes over the space that was occupied by Compadres, which moved to the building that once housed the Hody Bar.
Among the appetizers, I ordered the Kibbee balls ($7.99), which have a mix of tender (ground lamb) and crunchy (almonds) textures inside. They also are packed with spices, and the yogurt dipping sauce really helps to tone it down.
It’s weird to go from the super flavorful Kibbee balls to the bland lamb couscous ($19.50). Other than the buttery and fluffy couscous, it appeared there was no flavoring or seasoning at all to this dish. The lamb, carrots and cabbage were just okay, and they certainly could have been more tender.
I had better luck with the beef shawarma combo ($11.99), which comes with hummus, tabbouleh salad and pita bread. It’s a winner because the tabbouleh was super fresh, the creamy hummus was outstanding and the beef was tasty and tender.
Other entrees include house specialties such as stuffed artichokes ($19.50), seafood such as grilled salmon ($18.50) and vegetarian dishes such as Taza cannelloni ($13.99).
You’ll also find soups and salads on the menu. The split yellow pea ($3.25 cup, $5.99 bowl) caught my eye. The soup was thinner than I expected and certainly not as seasoned as I thought based on the description of “topped with our special spices.” Having said all of that, I still liked this soup.
Taza is open every day for lunch and dinner.
Tags: Mediterranean, Middleton
