Lunch Date

Due to some scheduling changes at work, Jason and I are often home on Fridays!  I've been enjoying the 4 day work week and this Friday I started off with a great workout in the morning, an hour long step class followed by a 30 minute sculpt, my calves are still burning!

We have been taking advantage of our time off and going out to lunch most Fridays.  The last few weeks we have gone to Bad Dog in Lincoln Square for their $6 All Menu Items Friday Special!  The food is great but definitely bar food. 

This week I figured a burger wasn't really in my new diet plan and spur of the moment decided to go to Semiramis on North Kedzie.  They are written up consistently as having one of the best falafels in Chicago and I have heard nothing but raves but somehow haven't made it there yet.

We were not disappointed!  Lunch started with the complimentary olive and pickled turnip bowl!  It took as awhile to identify the pickled item and we had to ask the waitress.  They pickle the turnips in house with a little bit of beet and they were delicious!  Inspirational fodder for my pickling and canning adventures to come...

We decided to split the vegetarian platter and a chicken schwarma special. 

The vegetarian platter had hummus, baba ghannouj, tabbouleh, falafel and dolmas.  Everything was wonderful.  The dolmas were probably some of the best I have ever had.  I want to like dolmas but am often disappointed.  Not this time.  And the baba ghannouj was amazing.  The eggplant had a smoky component that I really enjoyed.  I like eggplant but still can't seem to manage to get it right when I do anything with it at home.  The closest I've come to successful eggplant was in my quinoa and roasted vegetable salad with pomegranate vinaigrette. 

The chicken schwarma sandwich did not disappoint either.  I didn't realize it was coming as a wrap (I guess I've never really had schwarma before) and couldn't resist the pita so I blew my no-gluten for the day, but it was worth it.  The chicken was shaved nice and thin and the harissa sauce really flavorful. 

The restaurant is BYO and we were the only people in there for lunch which I couldn't believe.  I am looking forward already to returning either with just the two of us or a big group for lunch or dinner!