Shishkabob House - Kenner

Good Lebanese food. Fresh food with generous portions. Service has been good each time I have visited. So far, I've eaten lunch and dinner there. I didn't know when I ordered that the dinner portion is almost double the lunch portion and had ordered some extra food. Oops. I was very thankful that I was still able to eat it all because it is great. I am also very happy that it is just down the street from where I live because this will probably be one of my regular dining out places. At least whenever I get a craving for kefta, falafel, or hummus.

We had grape leaves, spinach pie, Fatoush salad, Greek Salad, lamb chops, and falafel sandwich. Everything was fabulous. Service was lighting fast. Prices very reasonable.

Great food and service! Everything you order is so fresh and tasty. My family enjoys eating at Shishkabob House again and again and again!!!!!!!!<br/

Love this place! Great food and a nice cozy setting. Family owned. There hummus is outstanding. Nice large portions. I usually get the chicken shawarma and it always makes my day! Check it out!!

It occurred to me the other day that despite years of visiting family in Metairie and numerous trips to New Orleans proper, I have spent very little time in the city of Kenner. Even more seldom than my number of visits to the northwest corner of Jefferson Parish, is the times I can recall dining at a locally-owned Kenner restaurant. But, as fate would have it, that’s exactly where I wound up Saturday evening. I was hungry and eager for some good seafood. I figured I might find a few good, cheap options to satisfy my palate.<br/ <br/ The original plan was to try out Kenner Seafood. However, we arrived at 7:30 and found ourselves at the end of a long waiting list with no approximate duration given to indicate when we would be seated. Without hesitation I left the place, figuring that there had to be a less-crowded establishment nearby. <br/ <br/ I reviewed a list I compiled recently of several highly-rated in the New Orleans Metro and settled on the idea of visiting a Mediterranean joint known as the Shishkabob House. We quickly zipped over to Williams Boulevard and found ourselves in the midst of an enclave of ethnic cuisine. Brazilian, Mexican, and Chinese eateries, were all located within short walking distance of our destination. <br/ <br/ Shishkabob House resides in a small shopping center and shares a parking lot with Little Chinatown. Once we parked and walked inside, we quickly noticed that the place was nearly abandoned aside from a lone gentleman dining alone and a young man behind the counter. As is the case with nearly every restaurant in and around New Orleans, the young man instructed us to sit wherever we preferred. The three of us walked into the adjacent room and sat at a table for four. I observed two nearby tables which were much larger, with each possessing a lazy Susan apparatus for parties wishing to share their dishes. It seemed like a wise choice on the part of the owners because Mediterranean food seems perfect for these sort of ‘communal’ meals.<br/ <br/ While the chairs and tables were very nice, I could not help but laugh after I beheld the contrastingly decorative remnants of the former tenants. The building apparently once housed a Chinese restaurant and therefore had several red-colored pieces molding adorned with Chinese symbols and letters. This proved to be a comical, if not charming, characteristic. However, the abundance of hanging Persian rugs and even a world map printed in Arabic served as reminders of the new occupants. <br/ <br/ Once our waiter arrived we ordered the chicken shawarma stir fry, the chicken kabob, and the lamb kabob. Because we had a child with us, our server informed us that the lunch menu was available throughout the entirety of the day. Given how much food was placed on the lunch plate, I concluded that the cheaper option was really a good deal.<br/ <br/ My date ordered a Lebanese tea and after one sip decided not to consume the remaining contents of her glass. She informed me that it was nothing more than sweetened tea with a few pine nuts and was therefore nothing like any Lebanese tea she had ever ordered. I figured that the poor beverage would be an indicator of an awaiting subpar meal.<br/ <br/ Our salads were brought to us almost immediately after being ordered. Unlike most Mediterranean establishments, there was not feta cheese or Grecian sauce place atop our salad. Instead, it was comprised of romaine lettuce, diced cucumbers and tomatoes, and a vinaigrette. I found it to be tasty and a decent portion size, while my date remarked that it was one of the best salads she has ever tasted. I didn’t find it to be quite worthy of such praise, but it was still good.<br/ <br/ Not long after I finished my salad, the entrees arrived. I soon realized that my date had made a slightly better selection once I saw how much food was served as part of her chicken shawarma stir fry. It was unlike any Mediterranean dish I have ever had, both in taste and appearance. It was almost reminiscent of a south Asian rice dish based on its general color and observable ingredients.<br/ <br/ The lamb kebob plate was also spilling over with food. However, my meal’s presentation was slightly less impressive. I had ordered the hummus option with my meal and inquired if I could perhaps substitute the serving of pita bread for a second serving of hummus. However, the waiter informed me that he could not do that because the pita was not on par with the hummus or rice in terms of value and satiability. I found his remarks to be rather ridiculous when I saw how much pita was brought to us. Sadly, none of us tried the pita that evening so I cannot comment on its quality. Don’t worry, I sent it home with my younger sibling so that he could enjoy it later.<br/ <br/ But back to my plate…the hummus I ordered was given on a small plate in accompaniment with the much larger plate, which only held two shishkabob skewers and a piece each of tomato, onion, and bell pepper. Again, the presentation was less than stellar, if not skimpy. However, the quantity only appeared to be lacking because of my decision not to consume the pita and the fact that the salad was served separately.<br/ <br/ I did enjoy my meal but I’m not sure I would declare it as one of the better Mediterranean meals I have ever tried. On the other hand, my date was more than satisfied with her entrée and continued to rave about it afterwards. Considering how often we eat such food, I value her opinion quite highly.<br/ <br/ The biggest issue with our meal was the lackluster service at times. Our drinks were never refilled or even offered to be refilled, and there were no instructions given in regards to payment. We wound up paying at the counter only after observing another individual do so. I only saw two staff members working the entirety of our meal. I would dread the thought of such a small staff handling a restaurant full of people. <br/ <br/ The service was not terrible, as our server was quite polite, but it was not excellent either.<br/ <br/ I’m not sure how many Mediterranean options are available in Kenner and Metairie, but I wouldn’t steer anyone away from Shishkabob House. It isn’t the best in the city, but it doesn’t have to be nor does it label itself as such.<br/ <br/ The prices are about what you would expect and the food is good. If you are scrambling for dinner options on a weekend night, it appears as though they can accommodate both you and your party without any hassle. Remember to order the chicken shawarma stir fry.  <br/ <br/ Taste: 8/10<br/ <br/ Cost: 8.5/10<br/ <br/ Dining Area/Décor: 7/10<br/ <br/ Customer Service: 7/10<br/ <br/ Location: 5/10