CTC Patio Café offers Middle Eastern cuisine
Fri, 2015-02-27 05:00
News Staff
By BRUCE VASBINDER
The next Patio Café Cuisine Nights dinner hosted by the Central Texas College (CTC) Culinary Arts department tonight and features a Middle Eastern cuisine. Dinner will be served between 6 – 7:30 p.m. in the culinary arts area of the Student Center (Bldg. 106). The dinner starts with a choice of salads, a soup and appetizer. The featured salad is fattoush salad - a blend of romaine, parsley and mint with cherry tomato halves, cucumbers, thinly sliced scallions and pita croutons tossed in a homemade pomegranate vinaigrette then crowned with sliced grilled chicken and served on an over-sized pita plate ($8.50). Diners can also choose the house salad. The soup is shorba soup – a unique combination of tender chicken breast, savory spices and lemon and mint. It is served with a honey oat roll, iced tea, coffee and a house salad with your choice of dressing. The appetizer is called the “Tour of Gaza” authentic Turkish dolmas, oven fresh pitas, roasted red pepper hummus and artichoke- tahini dip. Additional pitas provided upon request. The evening’s entrees are seared tahini tilapia - a creamy Greek-style tahini-lemon plate sauce topped with a delicious tilapia fillet; sambusa - beef, onions and regional spices stuffed into light and airy meat pies then fried to a crispy golden exterior and served alongside an in-house mint sauce; and kofta meatballs – a mouthwatering blend of ground lamb and beef fashioned into three scrumptious meatballs and served atop the refreshing in-house mint sauce. Each entrée is served with a honey oat roll and a choice of two side dishes. Diners can choose Jerusalem pancakes - a blend of freshly grated potatoes and onions formed into a patty and pan-fried until golden brown and served with sour cream and/or apple sauce upon request; terrific tabbouleh - fresh tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, bell pepper and chickpeas tossed together with delightful mint, lemon and cilantro flavors; golden couscous - an original style of couscous seasoned with cumin, turmeric and a touch of sweetness from golden raisins plus a perfect crunch from brunoised carrots and slivered almonds; and Lebanese beans – a combination of green beans, diced onion, garlic and stewed tomatoes. Additional servings of side dishes are available for $1.50 each. A choice of two desserts top off the meal: the Middle Eastern sweet trio – first is the scrumptious baklava - phyllo dough layered with walnuts and pistachios and baked in honey syrup. Next is a ghoraibi cookie - an almond flavored butter cookie. And finally, the rose infused Turkish delight - a florally chewy square. Diners can also choose the portakalli kek, or orange cake – a decadent confection orange masterpiece is cake made with orange zest, orange juice and orange liqueur then topped with a rich chocolate sauce and finished with orange- vanilla Chantilly cream. Reservations are required and are made in 15-minute increments starting at 6 p.m. the last seating is at 7:15 p.m. Call CTC at 254-526-1515.