Review: Mishos

When I heard a Mediterranean place was opening in Brookfield, I immediately thought of Italian food. But Mishos has much more to offer.

Mishos opened last month and is owned by Hossam Abdelkader, who also owns Italiano's restaurant just north of Four Corners. The menu at Mishos has a mix of influences, including Greek, Middle Eastern and, of course, Italian. The flavors are refreshingly different, with entrées that are on the lighter side.

Located on Federal Road in the space formerly occupied by Bailey's Backyard, the restaurant maintains much of the same décor. Stepping through the entrance, my husband and I waited in the bar area for a few minutes to be seated. This first room has several tall bar tables and a well-stock wooden bar with stools facing two flat-screen televisions. On a Tuesday night, there wasn't much action at the bar, not even a bartender.

We were led into the main dining room, which is decorated with soft redish walls and simple modern wooden tables and chairs. Natural light pours in through the large storefront windows, and there are subtle sconces and hanging lights for more illumination.

While we scanned the menu, our waitress brought us warm pita slices with tzatziki dip, a yogurt-based cucumber sauce.

For an appetizer, we split the Mediterranean Sampler ($9.95). The large plate arrived with lettuce "cups" overflowing with tzatziki, hummus, moussaka and tabouli. After inquiring, our waitress told us the kitchen was out of the baba ghanoush, an eggplant dip which was supposed to be the fifth item on the plate. But after one bite of that moussaka, I didn't care. The tender pieces of eggplant had been cooked with peppers and onions, then served at room temperature with warm, freshly made pita wedges. The hummus was drizzled with olive oil and was my second favorite, with its spicy garlic taste.

Our meals each included a basic green salad, which was small and served with flavorful homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

Even after hearing a fellow diner complain to the waitress that the Chicken Kabobs ($13.99) were too small, I ordered them anyway and was glad I did. My entrée was presented artfully, with two kabobs atop a medley of sautéed vegetables with a side of rice. Normally an afterthought at restaurants, the vegetables were delicious all on their own. The fresh green beans were cooked gently with a small dice of red and yellow peppers, cauliflower and some carrots. The chunks of marinated chicken breast were skewered with peppers and onions and grilled, sliding easily off the metal skewers. The accompanying tahini sauce added a welcome tangy flavor to the tender chicken.

My husband also couldn't resist the allure of the kabobs, so he ordered the Shish Kabobs ($15.99). We both agreed that these pieces of lamb were deliciously grilled and packed a lot more flavor than the milder chicken.

We finished our meal with coffee and a huge portion of Rice Pudding ($5.50), one of my childhood favorites. It was good, but not one of the best I have tasted.

This is a restaurant where you can splurge on crispy Fried Calamari ($8.99) and Lamb Pappardelle ($15.99) with its wild mushrooms and brown sauce or enjoy lighter fare, such as the Egyptian Panini (6.99) with eggplant, portabella mushrooms and a balsamic glaze or the Pan-Seared Red Snapper ($18.99) in a garlic tomato sauce.

The prices at Mishos are reasonable, and the quality of the food is excellent. Families are welcome here, and the separate bar area would be a good place to meet friends for a drink or a meal.