Stepping into Pita BBQ in South Elgin, there is an immediate sense of familiarity; a friendly greeting from the employees, spits of beef and chicken spinning in the kitchen behind the counter and menus up on walls are all things most foodies are accustom to with smaller restaurants, including us. Nevertheless, Pita BBQ proved to be everything we expected and more, providing an average but still tasty experience.

Before we get onto the food, we have to talk atmosphere. While the overall “seat yourself, order at the front” set up of the restaurant was nothing impressive, the tables and dining area were clean and the slow hip-hop, rap and foreign music playing overhead made for nice white noise as we ate. Overall, while Pita BBQ did nothing wrong in its presentation, it paled in comparison to some of the other eateries we’ve been to this semester.

We started off our meal with a plate of hummus Baba Ganoush, a hummus-type dip made from eggplant and other vegetables. Paired with soft, warm pita bread, both dips acted as a great entryway to the various textures and flavors we would try later in the meal.

For our entrees, our party ordered two plates: Chicken Shawarma with hummus and Lebanese salad, and Chicken Kabob with Basmati rice and Lebanese salad.

The Chicken Kabob was easily the highlight of the dinner. A fine mixed of spices cooked onto and through the tender meat provided a bite that was robust and savory with just the right touch of heat. Coupled with the flavorful Basmati rice, the palate cleansing lightness of the cucumber and tomato Lebanese salad and a generous dollop of Pita BBQ’s signature garlic sauce, this plate was a testament to how Pita BBQ can pack a punch.

On the other hand, the Chicken Shawarma, which was described as “fire-roasted chicken, sliced thin off the spit,” was nothing special. While the chicken was well cooked with a fair amount of spice, the meat itself was not juicy enough to win us over despite being paired well with the aforementioned garlic sauce, hummus and Lebanese salad. Overall, it just couldn’t live up to the strength of the kabob.

Out of anything we could have wanted for dessert, nothing could have finished off our meal better than Pita BBQ’s Sweet Baklava. Flaky, syrupy and just a little nutty, this baklava may have been small but provided all the sweetness anyone could possibly want.

In the end, Pita BBQ fulfilled our expectations given its first impressions, but couldn’t bring anything to the table to put it over the top. The pita bread, hummus, and chicken kabob were standouts, but even then, the sides and meat did not bring the heat.