Courtyard Grill

The hummus and chicken shawarma craze may be long past its crest, but many New Orleanians still go gaga over grape leaves and gyros. Even though I include myself in that crowd, on my jaunt through Europe a few years back I developed an even stronger affinity for the gyro's Turkish cousin: the kebab. No matter where I traveled, the omnipresent Doner kebab always seemed to be there.

While most of the kebab shops I frequented in Europe were of the street food genre, the kebabs from Courtyard Grill are touted as members of a higher pedigree, though still sold at bargain prices. Boasting of organic meats, house baked bread, and hand stacked rotisserrie towers, though the menu at Courtyard Grill reads similar to the vast array of Middle Eastern restaurants around town, the kitchen does things a little differently.

All meals at the Courtyard Grill begin with a complimentary basket of the house baked bread and a small tasting of agili, a condiment with which I had no prior experience. Though advertised as "spicy" on the menu and a veritable doppleganger for fiery harissa, the agili is actually a mild, almost fruity mixture of diced tomato, bell pepper, garlic, herbs, and olive oil. Matched with the house baked bread that is akin to a taller, more airy pizza crust, it's a simple but interesting introduction to a meal. If dining with a crowd, the appetizer platter is the way to start – your choice of 4 of the cold dishes to share for $15.95. What comes forth is ample portions of creamy/chunky babaganush, mild chachik yogurt sauce, large blocks of feta and walnuts, meat stuffed grape leaves, and whichever else you choose.

Sandwiches are either wrapped in thin lavash or in conventional form on the house baked bread. The Adana Wrap is a spicy blend of ground beef and lamb with loads of red pepper, almost like a merguez, served with marinated onions, purple cabbage slaw, chachik, and steamed rice for $9. The Doner (pictured) is served on the house baked bread with all of the above accompaniments, save the rice, for a whopping $8.

Platters are substantial and can easily split between two people who share an appetizer. The Doner Durum is an interesting twist on the classic. The thin, crispy slices of lamb and beef are rolled pinwheel-style in a thin tortilla like dough, cut, placed upright and ladled over with a mild tomato butter sauce. I expected more spice and assertiveness from the sauce, but the dish still worked well.

The "courtyard" aspect is a side deck with an overhang that is a nice setting for dining outdoors. Newcomers are usually confused where to go upon arrival, which is understandable. The door closest to the street leads directly into the kitchen and is used for takeout service and for the waitresses to expedite orders for those dining in. The door set further back leads to the hostess stand and interior dining room. The restaurant recently secured its liquor license, so now you can enjoy a cold beer or glass of wine with your kebab.

Courtyard Grill - Birdie
4430 Magazine Street
(504) 875-4164
Lunch and Dinner Wed-Sun; Closed Tuesday