Kebaba – Bend Oregon

Recently we made it to the new Modern Middle Eastern restaurant Kebaba on Newport across from Bend’s only Sushi restaurant – Kanpai. Word on the street is that Kebaba is gooooood. Maybe I’m getting older and pickier. Maybe I’m a snob. Maybe I like my lamb kababs not to be as hard as a brick. Ok, that’s a bit tough…like the Lamb was…hahaha.

I had the Lamb kebob and the wife had the Beef kebob.

One picture is good enough, they look the same. It’s not even a good photo. I apologize. She said her’s was ok…good. I agreed. Her’s was ok. Nothing to call home about but no complaints. Mine was tough and quite dry. I was forced to dip every bite in the accompanying yogurt for some moisture. Being that Bend does not have a HUGE resource of international cuisine, I will be back and try it again. I want to like it. I really do.

Normally I don’t comment on service and I try to keep my reviews to the dish that I have tried. I figure that staff comes and goes and restaurants go through make overs. But is it too hard to ask for the basics? Some of The Basics:

A clean table when you sit down. Our table was soaking wet like they forgot how to ring out the towel before applying it to the table. Our waitress noticed it just before she was about to place down the napkins and silverware. She was able to get some paper towels and wipe it off for us.

If you (the waiter/waitress) spills waters and or beverages on the table, please make an attempt to clean it up or at the very least, bring a couple extra napkins to replace the ones that we used cleaning up the spill.

Refills on water when your glass is empty. I noticed the water making it around to one section of the very tiny dining room but it didn’t make it around to our even smaller section. I was asked if I wanted another beer to which of course I said “yes…and some more water please”. Did I mention the lamb was dry?

When asked if you want another beverage…one comes out. These aren’t crazy requests. I mean, you asked me if I wanted another beer but had to come back and verify since it had been so long and we had finished our meal.

There are other basics but I don’t want you to think that Kebaba was not living up to them. Just the ones above were enough that I felt the need to mention them. Hopefully your experience will be a better one. I highly recommend the Babaganouj (even if it’s just fun to say it out loud and do your best Owen Wilson from Wedding Crashers impression) and the hummus.

Both were very good and the fresh, warm pita was great. I could have sat there and eaten just that all evening…assuming I had some water or whatever to wash it down. I am probably being too harsh on Kebaba and you’ll get a much happier review from anyone else. I’ll try and make it back there again soon and post another review.

Kebaba (I don’t know the address as of this posting, It’s next to Kanpai)
NW Newport Ave
Bend, OR

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