Diane and Nizam Issa have operated D’s Mediterranean Grill, which began as D’s Chicken Delight, since 2002. Their focus has always been on high-quality, healthy meals and their Mediterranean choices fulfill that.
The falafel plate ($10.99) has the falafel, patties made of ground garbanzos and fava beans mixed with garlic, onions, herbs and spices and is deep-fried. This plate has sides of hummus and tabouli, a parsley salad.
The lamb kabob plate ($19.99) has pieces of marinated and grilled lamb tenderloin with vegetables on a skewer. It sits on a bed of rice and has sides of Baba Ghanouj (roasted eggplant that’s pureed) and Spanakopita, a filo turnover stuffed with spinach and feta.
The gyro plate ($13.99) has rotisseried slices of lamb and beef served on top of rice. The sides on this plate are stuffed grape leaves (filled with meat and rice) and a yogurt and cucumber salad.
Visitors to the restaurant will see this painting of the ancient Phoenician port of Byblos on the wall.
Awards presented to the restaurant occupy a spot near the menu posted on a wall.
A look of some of the selection of meals at D’s Mediterranean Grill, which includes (clockwise from bottom) the falafel plate, lamb kabob plate and lamb and beef gyro plate.
This sign with a quote from Hippocrates sums up the Issas’ approach to serving healthy food.
D’s Mediterranean Grill has been a mainstay at 15th Street and Colcord Avenue since 2002.
Let’s see, what should you pick up for supper tonight? Burgers? No. Tex-Mex? Nah. Pizza, fried chicken, Asian? Just had that last week.
How about Mediterranean for a change of pace? Yeah, go for a tasty, healthful meal at D’s Mediterranean Grill.
Located across from Mission Waco at 15th Street and Colcord Avenue and opened by Nizam Issa and his wife Diane in 2002, D’s carries chicken-fried steak, burgers, chicken tenders, shrimp and catfish for kids and more traditional customers but is well known for its Middle Eastern cuisine like lamb, kibbe, falafel and gyros.
“Although we offer typical Southern food, most of our customers order Mediterranean dishes,” Diane says. “It is seasoned but not hot, and the antioxidants are good for you. We use fresh herbs, very healthy with hand-squeezed lemon juice and imported spices like fresh garlic, vacuum-packed when ground before being shipped to us, although we grow some outside the restaurant, too.”
Plates start at $17.99 for chicken kabob and lamb kafta, and $19.99 for beef tenderloin and lamb kabob, grilled to perfection with rice and two sides. Other ethnic selections range from tabouli and Lebanese, yogurt and cucumber salads to hummus, baba ghanouj (roasted eggplant), stuffed grape leaves and falafel, along with favorites green beans and pita chips fried in peanut oil.