Perched on the side of El Camino Real in downtown Menlo Park, Sultana provides a welcome respite from the bustling streets of the peninsula. Inside the charming indoor dining area decorated with Middle Eastern paintings and tapestries, a mellow atmosphere masks the restaurant’s true colors: a blaze of spiced kebabs and fiery lamb, only tamed by spoonfuls of tzatziki. Although the bold flavors and laid-back ambiance make the restaurant memorable, the quality falls short of the peninsula’s high standard.
Baba Ganoush ($10): 2/10
Having tried an array of different baba ganoush recipes from passionate relatives and local restaurants, it only takes one bite to notice this one’s shortcomings. Although supposedly made of roasted eggplant, lemon, olive oil, garlic, and tahini, this dish tastes almost exclusively of refrigerated olives and lumps of subpar eggplant. At the worst of times, a bite yields an uncomfortable bitterness reminiscent of unripe olives and kale. At best, when the blandness replaces the unpleasant taste, a dish designed to be creamy and smooth borders on lumpy and mushy. The baba ganoush’s only saving grace is the pita bread it comes with, which arrives warm and pleasantly toasted.
Tzatziki ($10): 7/10
Though frequently hailed as a Greek classic, tzatziki originates in Turkey, made up of diced cucumber, yogurt (garlic yogurt in this case), and dry mint. Sultana’s tzatziki delivers where the baba ganoush cannot—it tastes fresh, tangy, and cool, an excellent pairing with any of the restaurant’s entrees. Notably, the texture is drastically improved: mushiness gives way to creaminess, dotted by the occasional gentle crunch of cucumber.
Lamb Chop Kebab ($24): 4/10
What should be the crown jewel of any Middle Eastern restaurant, Sultana’s lamb kebab screamed “mediocre” and “flavorless” more so than “Turkish brilliance.” The plate is split into four parts: two kinds of vegetables, meat, and bulgur, a grain that lands somewhere between couscous and brown rice. Right away, the dish stumbles with leathery, woefully underseasoned zucchini and flowers of cauliflower that are totally bland but dusted with spices to cover it up. It improves slightly from there—the lamb’s high-quality seasoning almost makes up for its blindingly apparent dryness. Ironically, the bulgur ends up being the best part—creamy, flavorful, and a representative of the Mediterranean vibe Sultana endeavors to achieve.
Grilled Octopus ($15): 6/10
Described as a meze—“small dish”—Sultana’s three tentacles of grilled octopus come well-cooked, lying on a dense bed of arugula, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, radishes, and sliced oranges. The fruits and vegetables make the dish fantastically light and bright, providing the perfect amount of tang and sweetness. Unfortunately, the theme of mediocre centerpieces continues with this dish—the octopus tastes pretty bland, with the only ounce of flavor coming from the chimichurri drizzled on top.
