Across the street from Dewey’s Pizza in downtown Kirkwood sits Ranoush, tucked comfortably into the corner of East Jefferson and Kirkwood Road. Walking into the restaurant, however, provides an entirely different experience. Tapestries drape across walls, alluring chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and the delicious smell of pita bread wafting from the kitchen fills the room. Aside from the calming ambiance, Ranoush lets their food speak for itself.

Ranoush offers various specials for the lunch and dinner hours. The falafel sandwich special, served from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. comes in at an affordable $9.

Included in the special is a falafel sandwich rolled up with lettuce inside of some pita bread and dashed lightly with spices. The sandwich stands wonderfully on its own, but with the assistance of a thick garlic sauce on the side, becomes better complimented rather than standing out amongst the pita bread. Also served is a thinner, white tahini sauce, which customers can choose to use with a salad alongside the sandwich.

The vegetarian platter is one of the best showcases of Ranoush’s ability to present fine Syrian food. Priced at around $15, it’s a bit more expensive, but comes with enough food for a group of two to three. While the platter may vary depending on the chef’s choice, I received hummus, a serving of falafel, mutabal and tabbouleh, along with four large pieces of pita bread. There are endless combinations of vegetables to be mixed together in the fresh pita bread, allowing the dish to achieve synergy in terms of their vegetables. Whereas I usually wouldn’t enjoy some of the vegetables alone, they the end result creates an experience on par with the falafel sandwich.

I would highly recommend going at either 12 p.m. or 6 p.m., depending on whether you’re looking for the lunch or dinner specials. Like any other downtown Kirkwood restaurant, parking can be a hassle, but Ranoush offers plenty of seating both in the restaurant and in a partially covered outdoor area (fully useable even in the winter).

All in all, Ranoush produces authentic food that proves to people they don’t have to fly to Syria to experience Syrian cuisine.

Contact Ranoush: 

Website: www.ranoush.com

Kirkwood phone number: 314-984-8899

Kirkwood location: 200 N. Kirkwood, Kirkwood MO

Delmar phone number: 314-726-6874

Delmar location: 6501 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO

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