When partners Derek Kitchen and Moudi Sbeity opened Laziz Kitchen in 2016, it was an instant hit – a friendly neighborhood restaurant serving outstanding Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, with a leaning towards Lebanon, in a warm and inviting atmosphere. 

Fast forward to 2022 and there’s a brand spanking new Laziz Kitchen, this one in Midvale. Think of it as Laziz 2.0 – a newer model that resembles the original Laziz Kitchen very little; pretty much in name only. 

Whereas the SLC Laziz Kitchen is a full-service restaurant with lots of warmth, the Midvale version is sparse and somewhat cold in terms of decor and design, with hard metal, tile and wood surfaces throughout, and very little ornamentation aside from a pride flag hanging near the entrance. And, this Laziz is a walk up to the counter and order, fast-casual eatery. You order, pay, and are given a number to place on your table. A food runner will bring your meal to the table. 

It’s not that Laziz 2.0 doesn’t have appeal; it does. It’s just so radically different from the original Laziz Kitchen that it might throw you at first. It’s got a very institutional, commercial vibe, not to mention a much, much smaller menu. 

Service – what there is of it – is super friendly and helpful, just like at Laziz 1.0. Although, there are glitches. When our order came, two items were not what we’d ordered. But, everyone’s short staffed these days and stuff happens. Our family loves dolmades – Greek-style stuffed grape leaves ($9) – which are listed on the Laziz Kitchen menu. Unfortunately, they weren’t available when we visited, so we ordered a Sampler Plate ($14) to begin our meal, which was a generous serving of pita bread and pita chips with carrots, cucumber and romaine lettuce, plus a choice of three dips. The dip options are hummus, muhammara, beet dip, harissa guacamole, spiced labneh, and baba ghannouj. The person who put our platter together got one of the dips wrong, but so it goes. 

Additional appetizers at Laziz include Za’atar Fries ($8), fried Cauliflower Florets ($9), Sumac Sweet Potato Fries ($8), Falafel ($6), Tabbouleh Salad ($6), and Halloumi ($9). We ordered the Halloumi, which was four small pieces of grilled halloumi cheese served with a tomato-za’atar-sumac tapenade. The halloumi was delicious, but we felt it was overpriced at $9, considering that the big Lebanese Bowl with lentil and rice pilaf, house salad, yogurt tzatziki sauce and caramelized onions at Laziz is only six bucks more than four pieces of cheese. 

The main menu at Midvale’s Laziz Kitchen consists mostly of burgers, wraps, salads and bowls wherein you choose a signature dish such as the Mediterranean Platter ($16), Laziz Wrap ($11), Za’atar Roasted Veggie Bowl ($16), and so on, and then select a protein (vegan falafel or cauliflower, 2 eggs, chicken, beef, baked salmon or lamb meatballs), and finally, select a side sauce from tarator (lemon tahini), toum (garlic), habanero aioli, jalapeño tahini, harissa avo, or red pepper walnut. My wife loved her choice, which was a large Salad Bowl ($14) of mixed greens, chopped scallions, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, capers, parsley, feta cheese, quinoa, olives, pickled cabbage, crispy onions and tarator dressing, to which she added marinated grilled chicken. 

Burgers at Laziz Kitchen are all served with a choice of salad, za’atar fries, sweet potato fries, cauliflower, or rice. One of our party ordered and really liked the Lamb Burger ($17) made from ground lamb with tomato, lettuce, beet crisps, yogurt sauce and caramelized onions. Another burger option is the Kafta Burger ($17) – a ground beef burger with tomato tapenade, red onion, tomato, green pepper, greens, cheese and pickled cabbage. The za’atar spiked fries, by the way, are killer. 

Laziz Kitchen has a small, but surprisingly interesting, selection of wine and beer, including Chateau D’Esclans Whispering Angel Rosé, Chloe Prosecco, Massaya Blanc from Lebanon, Prazo de Roriz Douro from Portugal, La Crema Chardonnay, Roha Nights Out Stout, Epic Los Locos Lager, and more, including craft sodas from Stubborn and excellent homemade Laziz Lemonade which combines lemon, orange, and orange blossom flavors with sugar and mint. 

I am a lover of falafel and have always really liked the falafel at Laziz Kitchen, so I opted for the Falafel Burger ($15). It was a thick and tasty – albeit somewhat dry – falafel patty on a bed of lettuce, hummus and tomato, with pickles and onion. The menu stated that the falafel burger also came with avocado, but mine didn’t. As for the rice I ordered as a side dish, it couldn’t have been more bland. Expecting perhaps lemon-flavored rice, which is pretty traditional in the Mediterranean and Middle East, I couldn’t detect any seasoning whatsoever, aside from the minced parsley the rice was sprinkled with. 

In addition to the regular menu, there is a kids menu with meatball sliders, mac & cheese, a mini veggie bowl, chicken tenders, and grilled cheese. As noted, the Midvale Laziz Kitchen is decidedly different from its downtown sister restaurant. But if you’re looking for good, fast-casual, from scratch fare in Midvale that is a step above the gaggle of chain restaurants that surround it, Laziz Kitchen might just be the place for you. 

Photos by Ted Scheffler

Culinary quote of the week: “In England, there are sixty different religions, but only one sauce.” – Voltaire

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Originally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine & travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers.

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