Now, legal assistant Melanie Frank says that her pick checks off every box on her foodie list offering traditional Greek and Lebanese dishes.

Mmm.

This Mediterranean oasis is a destination for exotic spices and a vibrant atmosphere.

It's located in Pembroke Pines and it's called Mazza Mediterranean Cuisine.

Hello, my name is Ferris Bushnaq.

I'm the owner of Mazza Mediterranean Cuisine in Pembroke Pines.

We wanted to share our love for food and passion great recipes that are passed on from our moms and families to share with our neighbors Here in Pembroke Pines.

I want our guests to feel welcome like they walked into our homes.

Welcoming employees carry the same values we do.

Friendly, take their time explaining the menu.

The kabobs are phenomenal.

The chicken kabob, the shawarmas, the lamb chops.

Mazza means traditional small dishes from the Mediterranean shared with family and friends in a welcoming environment.

When you come here you can have any great food, great experience.

We want to exceed your expectation.

In Mazza, you're always welcome.

So tell me a little bit about this place.

I've been going to Mazza for years with my girlfriends.

It's sort of our goto place when we have somebody's birthday or want a quick night out with the kids.

So it's kind of your everything go-to.

Yeah.

It, I mean, I told my friends I had picked Mazza for this show and they said, of course, we'll go to Mazza with you.

Yvonne, what'd you think of the atmosphere?

Actually, it was very casual probably a little bit too casual for my taste.

And I found it the place a little bit too noisy.

Too noisy.

Okay.

I couldn't have a conversation maybe because it was crowded when we got there.

I just found that we couldn't talk.

Yes.

Saturday night.

Okay.

Actually.

But it, you could tell it's family oriented from the owner, the manager, everyone who's there.

You can definitely feel that it's a family restaurant.

Steven, what'd you think when you walk in?

Well, there was no decor basically but it was very clean and simple.

But the food was excellent.

It's really like, there's Greek, there's Lebanese Cypress food and Egyptian.

There's a, there's a quite a big menu.

Oh, interesting.

And we chose to go.

I had looked up the entertainment.

Okay.

So we went on Friday night when they had the belly dancer.

All right.

Well let's dive into the food.

Tell me what you had this last time.

I had the shaved pear salad with beets and goat cheese.

Wonderful.

A little overdressed.

I would probably get the dressing on the side but it was delicious.

I cleaned my plate on that one.

And then I had the grilled shrimp platter which came with rice, vegetables, fresh hummus.

And my friend had the chicken kebobs and everything was just very good, very healthy, not oily.

Melanie, tell me about this sauce that you write a lot about.

So.

First of all, how do you say it?

Toum.

Toum.

Toum.

Okay.

So when you go to Mazza, they give you a little basket of pita bread and a little dish of this sauce that's made of garlic, olive oil and salt and it's And lemon.

sort of.

And lemon.

And yes, and lemon.

And it's very simple.

But I'm a huge garlic fan.

And So I'm guessing you had the sauce as well.

It's delicious.

Okay.

It is.

Do you dip that with everything.

I dip, my shrimp, my chicken, my vegetables in it.

Right.

I actually got it to-go cup of toum to go when we left.

I just love it.

I'm in love with that sauce.

I could take it home and put on anything.

I guess you can.

Everything.

Yeah.

I didn't know.

Yeah.

With the fresh made Pita bread it was to die for.

We ordered the Shawarma and the beef kabob, Filet Mignon.

And even though the meat was tender I just feel it lacked a little bit of salt.

Okay, both the Shawarma and the kabobs?

Yes.

Okay.

My portion was on the smaller size.

The shawarma was a better portion.

The rosemary rice in your hair was delicious and the ham was amazing.

And the dessert was also really good.

Baklava Baklava.

The one that I ordered, had like almost like three different types.

One with nuts, one with peanuts, another with honey.

I'm telling you.

Garlic sauce and dessert.

I will go back anytime.

You started with Kibbeh, was it the raw Kibbeh?

Was it Kibbeh Nae or was it just Kibbeh?

Well it was fried Oh, so it's Kibbeh.

on the outside.

Yeah.

And a lot of meat inside.

It was delicious.

That's all meat and vulgar It.

Delicious.

Steven, tell me about your experience.

Well, I love the tone.

It was fabulous.

And the garlic is great and then it was very lemony.

So it was really tasty.

Then we had two types of cheeses.

Halloumi.

A Drunken Halloumi and a Labneh.

Labneh.

Which is, which is a yogurt.

It's actually a yogurt.

Yeah, it's a thickened.

It makes, yeah.

It was Did you like it?

just delicious.

So the Halloumi, was it seared?

Yes.

With alcohol in it.

Okay, that makes sense.

It was fabulous.

And my wife had a shawarma but it was a combo with half meat, half chicken.

How was that?

She loved it.

Oh, good, good, good.

And then we had the dessert was also the Baklava.

And it was excellent.

And I think you had an apple tart And an apple tart.

Don't wanna seem too piggy.

Never.

Melanie, well, Mazza was your pick.

Please sum it up for us.

For healthy, simple, delightful Mediterranean food you cannot miss with a dinner or lunch at Mazza.

Yvonne.

I think for a Mediterranean casual family restaurant is the most to go when you're in Broward County.

I think it was a very, a good place to get simple basic Greek and Mediterranean food.

Well, to get a taste of the exotic flavors of the Mediterranean you can head over to Mazza Mediterranean Cuisine.

Located at 15749 Pines Boulevard in Pembroke Pines.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Reservations are accepted and the average price for dinner without drinks.

Is about $40.