King of Kabob

What's it like?

The sign may still say Fulton Kebab, but the new name for the restaurant is King Kabob. The new owner, Armen, is brother to the owner of a restaurant at Bullard & First bearing the same name.

Kim and I walked down one night after seeing a picture that Andrew posted on Twitter. It looked too good to pass up--and at 6:30 p.m., there aren't many other options this side of downtown.

We're fairly outgoing people, so I have to point out that our initial approach was intimidating. The restaurant was empty, and the group standing/sitting outside didn't give us the warmest of welcomes; we weren't sure if they were still serving, so we looked awkwardly back at the group as we made our way to the counter.

That's when we met Armen. He assured us that, not only were they serving, but that he made everything himself. We ordered: a gyro for Kim, and a mixed kebab kabob plate for me.

In a recent review of Kuali, I wrote that it was hard to forget the tenant that previously occupied the restaurant's space. The same could be said for Fulton Kebab: I ate not one, but two sub-par meals from the previous owners. I was encouraged by the photo Andrew posted, but not fully prepared for what was to come.

It's hard to screw up something like a chicken kabob, and until trying Armen's, I thought they were all the same. But this was seasoned and cooked perfectly. Even better was the lamb--well-seasoned, cooked slowly to keep the tenderness. Kim reported equal satisfaction with her gyro. And while a side salad isn't usually noteworthy, we both raved about the flavor from the fresh tomatoes. Armen takes care in picking out his ingredients.

Before we finished our meals, Kim and I each received half of a chicken bake (fourth picture above). Armen wanted us to know that he makes these for breakfast every day.

Kim asked why he chose to open a business downtown. "Because I see the opportunity," he said, noting that he understands he may not make money during the first year. Armen reported decent lunch crowds during the first weeks, and is committed to staying open for dinner, closing at 8:00 p.m.

That's music to my ears.

Let me know if you ever want to meet for lunch downtown.