World beat eats

>> Ruminating on the spice route at Rumi

by SARAH MUSGRAVE

Rumi was a 13th-century mystic from Persia who, in addition to being a poet and philosopher, had something to do with whirling dervishes. I’m pretty sure he inspired the name of this new Outremont resto—it fits with the somewhat spiritual, exotic vibe of the place as well as the menu, which offers a tour of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries.

Opened in November 2001, it’s run by two brothers with similar close-cut reddish beards, ethnic clothes and close-fitting caps. Although they don’t hail from any far-flung places, they whirl around quite a bit themselves, greeting friends with magic handshakes, stopping by tables to chat and offering treats on the house. We got a free taste of fiery ginger juice, which immediately warmed us up.

Although I found something about the seating disconcerting (there are few intimate corners), the sounds of sizzling from the kitchen and the limited menu written on a chalkboard seemed like good signs. You know the lamb must be fresh when it’s the basis for three daily dishes: soup, brochette or shoulder. There was a great choice of soups, a handful of main courses like meat brochettes and bouillabaisse, and a selection of mezze. They included artichokes with sundried tomatoes, stuffed cabbage, chickpeas and lahmadjoune, Armenian-style pizza. Rumi also makes a vegetarian plate for about $10 that I feel sure must be pretty good.

I was intrigued by the lettuce soup ($3.50), which turned out to be a piping hot concoction punctuated with fresh ginger and herbs. The potential bitterness of the greens was rounded out by the addition of cream, making it almost sweet. However, if I’d finished the whole bowl, there’s no way I could’ve eaten my way through the rest of the meal.
We also shared a couple of mezze ($3.50 each). The chickpeas were mild and earthy, very fresh and barely marinated. The artichoke was plump and juicy, served with bright red tomatoes that looked more suntanned than sundried.

The bouillabaisse, the famous fish soup that originated in Marseilles, was a real treat ($12.95). The delicate broth, containing potatoes, onions and celery, was topped with a generous piece of perfectly cooked fresh salmon and sea bass. The stew-like soup was served in the traditional style, accompanied by toasted bread and a rust-coloured sauce called rouille that’s made with mayonnaise, saffron and other spices.

The plate of lamb brochette ($11.95) had lots of elements to sample. I thought I wouldn’t be able to cut into the meat with the butter knife, but it was tender enough to slice through. It came with a wonderful rice pilaf, dotted with raisins, plump cranberries, nuts, seeds and thinly sliced almonds. It was also accompanied by a helping of lightly seasoned zucchini atop a bed of spinach, hints of tomato here and there, and a spoonful of a paler version of the rouille. To go with the meals, we opted for the Tunisian wine that was reasonably priced and, despite my doubts, tasted quite nice ($4.75 glass/$19 bottle).

There were also quite a few desserts and hot drinks to choose from. The waitress recommended the banana cake, but it sounded a little too heavy after such a filling meal. Instead we got some of Middle Eastern pastries ($2 each) sprinkled with icing sugar and stuffed with nuts. We washed it down with a coffee and a cup of chai ($2.50).
In the end, it was surprisingly reasonable—obviously run by people who want to make sure their friends can afford to stop by for a meal or an afternoon snack. :

Feedback? Restoagogo@hotmail.com

Rumi
Address: 5198 Hutchison
Phone: 490-1999
Hours: Tues–Thurs 10am–11pm; Fri–Sat 10am–midnight; Sun brunch 10am–5pm; Mon closed
Best features: engaging hosts, exotic tastes
Alcohol: yes
Vegetarian friendly: yes
Credit cards: yes
Wheelchair access: four steps
Price: $16/person before tax, drinks or tip
Rating: HH1/2 out of HHHH