Having never been to a restaurant specializing in middle eastern cuisine like Le Mirage, I was determined to order a dish that I, perhaps embarrassingly, had never heard of. I selected the Baked Kibbie, which the menu informed me came with housemade rice pilaf, fresh vegetables, and a side salad. The side salad, full of fresh greens, came with a balsamic vinaigrette with sweet flavors and a delightfully thicker consistency than I had expected. I appreciated this, as the dressing stayed on my vegetables! I chose the butternut squash as my side, which was pureed with a sugary sweetness. The Baked Kibbie turned out to be a square shaped meatloaf-like mixture of bulgur wheat, meat, and spices, giving it a crumbly texture with sweet flavors. There was a tangy yogurt sauce offered to spread over it, but the kibbie was delicious on its own and on a spoon mixed with the squash and rice pilaf. The pilaf was rather plain, but buttery and added some moisture to mouthfuls of kibbie. The meal from Le Mirage was filling and had a comfort food feel that left me content and full. -AC
