Years later, Mardini’s still offers great meals
Published 9:00 pm Thursday, December 14, 2006
Years later, Mardini’s still offers great meals
* The Snohomish restaurant was rated an “all-time favorite” in the late 1990s and does not disappoint on this recent visit.
By Anna Poole
Herald Restaurant Critic
SNOHOMISH – Between the outer and inner doors at Mardini’s, newspaper clippings hang on both sides of the door. My friend and I found two reviews from The Herald. Gosh. We haven’t dined here since the late 1990s.
The good news: The restaurant has remained in the heart of Snohomish’s historic downtown and kept its inviting dining rooms that have a sophisticated, old-world feel. Zouhair Mardini’s still the owner after opening in 1984, and the menu, with its emphasis on Mediterranean dishes, hasn’t had any dramatic changes.
But there are some surprises, like the Kalbi short rib appetizer ($8.50), which are marinated and char-broiled Korean-style short ribs, or the main dishes of spicy Cajun shrimp ($14.95), and chicken Wellington ($15.95), which is a chicken breast stuffed with onions, mushrooms and fresh crab that’s baked in puff pastry and served with hollandaise sauce. For pasta lovers, Mardini’s serves fettuccini eight ways, with prices ranging from $11.95 to $17.95.
The Saturday night my friend and I visited, the specials were Dungeness crab cakes, prime rib and king salmon baked in an herb sauce. They sounded good to me, as did the linguine a la Grandma’s tomato-rosemary sauce with ground beef. But the two lamb entrees and the roasted duck felt like a delicious late-fall dinner.
My friend really likes French onion soup ($4.95) and the addition of vermouth and brandy in the traditional onion-beef broth got his attention. But, after measuring his hunger, he passed on the soup and selected the chicken Caesar salad ($13.95).
I was hungrier and decided on the roast duck, which came with steamed vegetables. I selected the roasted potatoes instead of rice pilaf and added a house salad with sesame-ginger dressing. We both had a glass of house wine ($5 each). The restaurant’s wine list combines selections from Italy with domestic bottles from Washington, California and Oregon. For beer and ale fans, the microbrewery selection is excellent.
While we sipped our wine and munched on bread warm from the oven with softened butter, we enjoyed the Christmas tree in front of us and the large party in the adjoining dining room who were exchanging gifts.
My dinner wasn’t a Christmas goose, but it was the right choice for our pre-holiday dinner. The duck, roasted with a honey-lime sauce, was naturally more flavorful and rich than chicken. The vegetables – carrots, cauliflower and broccoli – were the standard winter mix, but these were fresh, not frozen, and al dente.
Our salads were made with cold, crisp Romaine lettuce and served with Parmesan cheese. The house dressing on my salad was so delicious, I considered ordering another salad so I could enjoy more of it. My friend’s chicken Caesar had house-made croutons and Caesar dressing. Sauteing the chicken in oil flavored with basil and wine made the salad terrific.
Former Herald restaurant reviewer Mike Henderson put Mardini’s on his “all-time favorites list.” He was right in the late 1990s, and this restaurant’s going on my list of favorites in 2006.
Herald restaurant reviewers accept no invitations to review, but readers’ suggestions are always welcome. Reviewers arrive unannounced, and The Herald pays their tabs.
Contact Anna Poole at features@heraldnet.com.
