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6C WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 2006 Escape to the Mediterranean Metropolis Diner offers great food and ambience By CHARLOTTE PERKINS HHJ Lifestyle Editor If you need an escape from the ordinary, make plans now to have dinner at the Metropolis Diner in Warner Robins. I visited this restaurant last week, and felt like I had stepped into another culture. For those who want regular seating, there are booths and tables, but there’s also a cozy room in the back where diners can sit on cushions placed all around the floor, eat from cut-down tables, and smoke a hookah. The background music could have from “Kismet,” and I learned that there are also belly dancers from 7 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Nader Marouf, who was born in Syria and grew up in Kuwait, started the Metropolis just two months ago after a number of years in the restaurant business, doing every kind of cooking imaginable. Joseph Kiefer, manager and waiter, is one of the restaurant’s biggest fans because he grew up eating Lebanese foods prepared by his grandmother, Barbara Shaheen. He says, “It’s the healthi est food in town.” The Metropolis is doing a nr~ TMBBErir —mr —~— — ~ nu ~~Tljr ’ '' ffc^m— 7* ‘ Jf r ll»i • .-Jg pvn& l 4. JM m fT.. >lkJj ' HEniiiiHr V* '* jA ' Mfalter: . vg fi jß&imsfSSS ijf \ r j9HHHffigg|# * v MWM|iIMHnMWMMM|' \ .’v' Mubmitted Natalie Petro, one of the regular belly dancers at the Metropolis teaches two little girls some Mediterranean moves. ... located In Sy&torie vFewtjf 922 Carroll Street • Perry, Georgia 31069 478-987-1866 www.frontoorchtea.com ' mmmmmmmmmmmmm 00035045 good business with military personnel who are already familiar with the cuisine, and also offers a good selec tion of American foods, like steaks and fries - for those who aren’t feeling adventur ous. My recommendation would be to go for the Greek and Mediterranean food. It’s one of the great world cuisines, and for good reason. I had the mixed grill, with skewers of marinated chick en, beef and kafta - a spicy ground beef mixture that is Nader Marouf s personal favorite. This comes with Basmati rice, a great Greek salad with olives, a stuffed grape leaf, soft pita bread and real ly delectable hummus. The cost: $11.95 for more food than you can eat. I mention the hummus specifically, because even though I like garbanzos, I haven’t been a big hummus fan in the past. This hum mus was another matter entirely - seasoned with lemon, cumin and gar lic. It was delicious. Also the pita bread was softer and probably much fresher than what I’ve been used to. The grilled meats were ten der, and everything had the fresh taste that comes from simple cooking with olive oil, Experience warm Southern hospitality while dining with family andfriends. Open Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am-5:00 pm for lunch, specialty desserts and afternoon tea lemon juice, and fresh herbs. This is, as Marouf points out, food that’s good, but also good for you. I had a side order of tabouli, which is something I’ve always liked, and even tried to make at home. The Metropolis tabouli was a wonderful lightly-seasoned concoction of crushed wheat, , finely diced toma toes and lots of parsley. (It also taught me that my own missing ingredient has been lemon juice) The menu offers a wide range of Mediterranean and Greek dishes, You can get falafel, hummus, baba gha nouj, moussaka, spinach pie made with fillo pastry, dol mades, and a wide variety of kebabs. If you like feta cheese and kalamata olives, you can add them to anything and every thing. There are gyros of all sorts, and, of course, baklava to round things out. My dessert, however, was a cup of remarkable sweet hot tea spiced with carda mom. Now about the hookah smoking, it’saMediterranean social custom, and guests have a choice from a wide range of flavors - even apple and strawberry. The nicotine content is minimal, but it still can’t be smoked in the public part of the restaurant. This only takes place in the hideaway room with the floor pillows, so if you want to make a party of it, call 322-3737 in advance. The Metropolis Diner is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The most expensive entree on the menu is $11.95. Go. You’ll love it. Making the USD A guidelines work for you (AßA) - One year after the release of the 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines, consum ers are still being bombarded with puzzling health advice. Whether it’s “vary” this or “reduce intake” of that, one thing is certain: when it comes to dietary recommen dations, making the right choices is more confusing than ever. Family nutrition expert Dr. Lisa Hark, author of the new book “The Whole Grain Diet Miracle” (DK Publishing, 2006) and Director of the Nutrition Education Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine offers ideas for tangible, realistic food choices that put the guidelines into action. “It may seem daunting, but following the USDA FOOD MeMl Lkf rM l ■ c / rasra ■M JKj f] l IfIHV V Nader Marouf with his staff at the Metropolis Diner. Dietary Guidelines doesn’t have to be complicated,” said Dr. Hark. Hark recommends stock ing up on favorite foods from each food group that are easy to eat at home or on the go. * Grains: A bowl of instant oatmeal is an easy way to eat whole grains. Oats have more protein than most other grains and are a source of soluble fiber, which may help reduce cho lesterol. * Fruits: Starting your day with an 8-ounce serving of 100 percent orange juice is one way to meet half of the USDA’s daily fruit rec ommendations, based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Orange juice, which con tains vitamin C, folate and potassium, is one of the most nutrient-rich bever "*■ **'"* '' ~ „- f , j Q/mAveddicmd * ... .4 Classic on Carroll . ■ ... - jg|| M 4, & **•'•’"' H '*-/ >- ■ * IPi * f i . \Vfl® 912 CARROLL ST. • DOWNTOWN PERRY • (478) 987-2255 Monday - Friday 9:3oam - s:3opm * Sat. 10:00am - s:oopm ages around. * Vegetables: Spinach is an excellent source of vita min A and provides a signifi cant amount of iron. Keep a ALWAYS LOOKING FOR GREAT PEOPLE Please apply at the Holiday Inn Perry 200 ’Valley Drive Exit 136 at 1-75 IIV11Mi:i>IVIl NEEDS Desk Agents Cooks Servers Host / Cashiers Housekeepers Great Pay & Benefits THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL bag of frozen spinach in the freezer; it can be steamed or microwaved in minutes as a side dish or addition to your favorite recipe. Nuhmittcd <m?i2s 04iA5070