For those wanting a taste of the Mediterranean, it's only a short drive down Texas Avenue for a full menu of fan favorites.
For almost 15 years, Shiraz Shish Kabob has been serving the Brazos Valley as a family-and-Aggie-owned restaurant serving shishkabobs, which typically consist of meat and vegetables on a stick.
Beginning first as a dream of his parents, general manager Andrew Shiraz says their close-knit family banded together to ensure they could make this dream a reality. Both having diverse backgrounds after completing their degrees at Texas A&M University, Andrew says both he and his sister put their talents to the test.
Starting out as a business, Andrew says there was apprehension from the public who weren’t as familiar with the particular type of food they were serving.
“A lot of people didn't know what Mediterranean food was,” Andrew says. “At the beginning, there was a lot of education in teaching people what the spices were and that this was not scary food.”
The kabobs have proven to be a timeless combo and have made quite the entrance for Mediterranean food in the BrazosValley with hints of influences from Iran, Andrew says.
“This menu is something that brings a lot of different cultures and people together,” Andrew says.“This type of food has been made for thousands of years and it’s probably not too far off what our ancestors would have eaten.”
Not only are the menu items full of variety, the menu features spices and recipes that have been in the Shiraz family for years, making each menu item deeply personal to the family.
“These are all family recipes,” Andrew says. “For example, our falafel is a recipe that's been in our family for over 500 years — there's a real history behind that.”
For first-time customers, Andrew says, one of the best options is the half and half platters, which allows a chance to mix and match one “safe” option and one “adventurous” option.
“The platter is where customers start getting a taste of different types of meats and seasonings and marinades,” Andrew says. “They get to know what they like and which ones they prefer."
With options like minced beef, marinated chicken, game hen and falafel, there are plenty of options to mix and match with, Andrew says and each plate comes with the customer’s choice of bread or rice.
“Everyone's tastes are different,” Andrew says. “Most people really like to go with the half and half platters, whether that's a combination of beef, chicken, skewer or lamb.”
Beyond the traditional favorites, the menu also features vegan, vegetarian and options, so there’s something on the menu for everyone to enjoy.
“At one point, many of our family members were vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free,” Andrew says. “We had to figure out what to do to keep everyone happy, so we updated our menu to be more inclusive. It took a lot of time to develop and perfect these recipes so it took about a year to develop these changes.”
All ingredients used within the restaurant are high quality and cage-free and come from local vendors, Andrew says.
“We do use a lot of local produce and local meats,” Andrew says. “We try to give back to the local community and the ranchers and the farmers within the B/CS area and also within Texas.”
With the success of their first restaurant off of Texas Avenue, the Shiraz family is planning to expand by adding another restaurant, though Andrew says they are still working on nailing down a final location choice.
“We are looking at a couple of locations both within the Bryan/College Station area,” Andrew says.
Shiraz Shish Kabob is located at 110 Dominik Drive in College Station and is open daily from 11a.m to 10 p.m. For questions, visitshirazshishkabob.com or call (979) 694-8385.
