Orland Park's Arab American Community:

A cultural experience-Belloissimo Kabob

By Heather Warthen
Editor, The Orland Prairie Newspaper
(Reprinted with permission of the Editor and Newspaper)

Pushing through the large wooden doors, entering Belloissimo Kabob is an ornately decorative experience. Less than a month old and located at 16111 South LaGrange Road in Orland Park, the classic ambiance paired with unique dishes creates a worldly experience for diners.

Owner Marlon Martini, a newer Orland Park resident, is originally from Italy (thus the name of the establishment), but felt there was a need for a restaurant in Orland Park that was not Italian.

“My mother is from Aleppo in northern Syria. Our recipes here are family recipes. I wanted to do something different,” he said. Martini also owns two other restaurants in Ohio and will be opening another one in Lemont in March.

Martini recommends the shish kabobs, as he loves to eat meat. His favorite experience in the restaurant business, however, is dealing with his customers.

“It is important to me to meet nice people. It makes me happy to see people eat the food and have empty dishes,” he said.

The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner and at both, they serve homemade soups, which features four flavors.

“Our soups are very popular. A lot of people come for them. The lentil soup is very good,” said Martini.

Soups vary in price from $2.75 to $3.99.

Hommos (chick peas, garlic, lemon juice and sesame sauce served with pita bread for $5.99), Falafel Patties (chick peas, veggies and homemade seasonings for $6.99) and Greek Spinach Pie ($6.99) are just the beginning to a meal at Belloissimo Kabob.

Sandwiches include a Greek-style gyro (served with onions, tomatoes and lettuce on pita bread for $4.99), a Chicken Shawerma (marinated chicken with homemade special sauce rolled in pita bread for $4.99) and also a 1/2-pound Belloissimo Burger (served with tomato and lettuce for $4.99). For an additional charge of $3, these orders can be made into platters and served with French fries and soup.

Belloissimo Kabob has a large selection of salads that range from a simple Greek Salad (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and feta cheese for $3.99 for a small one) to a vegetable-friendly Fatoush (lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, onion, crunchy pita bread with special seasoning and homemade dressing for $3.99 for a small one).

Dinner, which begins after 4 p.m., features numerous meat entrees, showcasing Belloisssimo’s specialities.

Martini boasts his Shish Kabob—cubed beef tenderloin grilled with green peppers and onions for $16.99. There is also a Shish Combo, which features the tenderloin meat as well as Shish Kafta and Chicken Kabob for $18.99. Cornish Hens ($10.99) and a five-piece lamb chop ($19.99) are available for dinner. Seafood options include Mahi Mahi Curry Ghalaba (fresh fish with green peppers, onions, tomatoes, curry and other special spices for $12.99) as well as fried butterfly shrimp ($16.99).

The Belloissimo Family Platter ($49.99), which feeds four to five people, offers indecisive minds a chance to sample a bit of everything with Fatoush salad, falafel, grape leaves, hommos, baba ghanooj, shish kabob, chicken kabob, meat pies, spinach pies, fried kibbee and is served with rice.

Desserts include baklava (two pieces for $3.99) and rice pudding ($3.99) as well as a dessert of the day.

A Kid’s Menu features chicken tenders ($3.99) and tiny puppy dogs ($3.99) and are served with smiley fries.

Catering, as well as group parties, is available.

The restaurant is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For more information, call (708) 349-8711 or visit www.belloissimokabob.com.

My visit to Belloissimo Kabob

Curiosity got the best of me a couple weeks ago when I stopped in one night to pick up a menu. As I opened the large doors, which remind me of castle doors that should be somewhere in Europe, the smell of the food was enough for me to ensure a return visit to try it out.

Along with the Homer Horizon editor, Jennie and the Frankfort Station editor, Abby, we arrived at Belloissimo Kabob for a late lunch on Monday afternoon.

The ambiance really transfixes you here and it is one of my favorite parts about this restaurant. Both editors agreed that this place does a fantastic job of transplanting you to Europe—perhaps to an outdoor café (outdoor seating is available here).

Being as indecisive as we are, we chose to try a bit of everything to begin with by ordering the Belloissimo Combo—a combo of hommos, baba ghanooj (baked eggplant mixed with garlic and lemon juice), falafel (fried vegetable patties), tabbouli and a house salad for $13.99. We also ordered a Vegetarian Mezza (feta cheese, tomatoes, olives and cucumbers for $6.99).

The hommos and baba ghanooj arrived together, separated neatly, with a large pile of pita bread triangles. The thick dips were blended perfectly, but we favored the hommos over the baked eggplant dip. Both Abby and Jennie likened the tabbouli to a heartier salsa. The Vegetarian Mezza was colorfully appetizing and I enjoyed the Greek feta cheese mixed with the vegetables.

For our entrees, Abby chose the gyro ($4.99), Jennie decided to try the Grape Leaves (stuffed grape leaves and hommos rolled in pita bread for $4.99) and I chose the platter of the Beef Shawerma (marinated beef with homemade special sauce rolled in pita bread for $7.99). Both the gyro and beef shawerma were large sandwiches, taking up the entire plate. My marinated beef was tender and paired with the homemade sauce, which reminded me of a thicker ranch sauce, yet not as tangy. Jennie said her grape leaves were something different for her, but she definitely loved the fact that it involved more of the hommos.

Both Jennie and I had the chicken noodle soup ($2.75) as well, which was unlike any other chicken noodle soup we have had. Most are a simple clear broth—this was a thicker, creamier broth filled with both noodles and rice, with tender pieces of chicken breast. Definitely a unique and flavorful spin on a classic favorite.

The three of us were enticed to have a hot cup of tea ($1.99) with some baklava ($3) to conclude our meal. The baklava was flaky and sweet and balanced perfectly with the warm tea.

For a cozy European ambiance with homemade traditional dishes, or shish kabob lovers alike, check out Belloissimo Kabob.

 

Heather Warthen is the editor of the Orland Park Prairie newspaper in Orland Park, Illinois. The newspaper is part of 22nd Century Media. To view the newspaper, visit www.opprairie.com.