THEIR DOLMAS BRINGS ALL THE BOYS TO THE YARD And speaking of those olives , at Spice Road Table , it ’ s the first thing I notice when I get my first of several small plates . The dishes here drive home the culinary significance of those Spice Routes . The Dolmas ( grape leaves filled with rice and herbs , marinated olives , and charred lemon ) are a briny example of what ’ s possible because of the Spice Routes . Rice originated in Asia , as did the lemon ( and all citrus ). Olives hail primarily from the Mediterranean , as do the grape leaves used to wrap the rice and spices . Finally , those spices include the now-common black pepper , but the peppercorn would not be in the Western diet if not for trade routes past the Malabar coast of India .
The plate also has a few whole garlic cloves ( courtesy of Iran and South and Central Asia ), which are my Achilles heel . Not once , but twice at Sanaa I ’ ve made myself gloriously uncomfortable by inhaling all the garlic cloves from the bread service . I feel safe enough today , with only two or three cloves , and their taste lingers on my tongue as I enjoy the Dolmas . The lemon rind on top looks pretty , and it packs a punch ( if you don ’ t love lemons , you may want to leave this as garnish ), and overall the dish sings a song of citrus , brine , and subtle spices . It ’ s pleasantly piquant , and I find myself with an empty plate far too soon . That ’ s OK ; it leaves plenty of stomach real estate for my next dishes .
The Grilled Lamb Kefta — a perennial favorite with different versions often found at the Food & Wine Festival — is too pretty not to photograph in its elegant white boat . Each ball of kefta is nestled on a dab of tzatziki , jacketed by slivers of watermelon radish , and paired with blistered grape tomatoes . I ’ ve had this in Greek homes , and the flavors are the same . The chef has not shied away from the spices ; the kefta has a kick , which means I make good use of the tzatziki . I eat the tomatoes last ; these are still warm , and the taste of warm tomato reminds me of fresh-picked ones in my garden that never seem to make it inside the house .
TOP : The Dolmas are one of the best dishes at Spice Road Table . ABOVE : The Grilled Lamb Kefta is plated in a white boat . PHOTOS BY CATHY SALUSTRI