Restaurant of the Month

Paymon's Mediterranean Cafe & Lounge
By: Charlie Desiderio

Paymon’s Mediterranean Café & Lounge with two locations, 4147 S. Maryland Pkwy and 8380 West Sahara

A restaurant that offers their guests an excellent variety is the famous Paymon’s Mediterranean Café; I never fail to be amazed at how perfectly each of the dishes is prepared and presented. Imagination in culinary art is no doubt the reason; in fact the tastes and dishes are the result of a lot of years of restaurant experience of the owner, Paymon Raouf, who is the dynamic force behind the success of this quality eatery. Couple this with the unique Hookah Lounge and you have an unbeatable combination that makes Paymon’s the excellent restaurant that it is. Foods from the entire Mediterranean are offered to the guest. My favorites are the Hummus and Dolmas with meat (stuffed grape leaves); for entrée’s you can’t beat the Kabobs which are offered in a variety of meats and served with excellent aromatic rice.

For the daring among you I would suggest a combination plate so you can get a taste of many of the near east favorites. Pita bread sandwiches are the big items for lunch and there is a wide variety to choose from and they are all reasonably priced. Salads are also very popular items for your mid-day fare and among the six they serve, the Greek salad and the Gyros salad are my favorites; prices here are also among the lowest in town are by far the best available in Las Vegas.. Traditional among the regions that are represented; “Dips” are an important part of the way people dine; therefore, besides the Hummus, which is an absolute must, you should also try the cucumber dip and the Baba Ganosh, a great eggplant, garlic and oil blend. Entrée’s are outstanding; Moussaka, Pastitsio, Spanakopita and Kabobs lead my list.

Paymon Raouf is a very special person who is involved in the community and his business. Paymon’s Mediterranean Café and the Hookah Lounge is a special place because the guest is really treated special, the reason is easy, Paymon won’t have it any other way. A guest in his restaurants is considered a guest in his home. This is critical thinking for a successful restaurant in a town that has the largest variety of restaurants, second only to New York City.

The special added attraction is the Hookah lounge at both locations. If you have never experienced the smoking of a Hookah pipe, make a special effort to give this a try, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Call 731-6030 for reservations.