Kaylah Goldrich
The new restaurant brings an interesting mix of Persian and American food, serving kabobs along with burgers and fries.
Taking over the space that was previously home to Taco Bar and Jerry’s Subs & Pizza, sister restaurants Z-Burger and Maman Joon Kabob recently opened in Olney this October. These two restaurants bring a unique experience, but overall I was slightly disappointed with my visit.
Maman Joon Kabob, a Persian restaurant, offers a variety of kabobs, sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts. With other locations in Tenleytown, McLean and Tysons Corner Mall, Maman Joon is an up-and-coming restaurant offering a wide variety of flavors and meals. Z-Burger is also an established local restaurant, with various locations in D.C., offering burgers, kosher hotdogs and other vegetarian options.
Upon entering the double location, I was immediately hit with a unique, vibrant smell, mixed with typical American cuisine and delectable Persian dishes. The interior was simple, with a counter in the back to order and seats sprinkled around the room to dine-in.
Looking at the Maman Joon menu, I was struck by the price of the dishes. Maman’s Salad ($8.99), was a very typical dish, with peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, kalamata olives and house dressing. This seemed like a waste of money for something I could easily make at home.
The entrees were priced no differently, all costing over $15.00, however, their flavors definitely made up for it. There were multiple kabob options, from which I ordered the Salmon Kabob ($19.99), made up of chunks of a skinless salmon filet marinated in a house sauce. I highly recommend this dish as the salmon was melt-in-your-mouth delicious and the sauce complimented the fish flavor perfectly.
Z-Burger was unfortunately a different story. Although I was initially excited about the prospect of having a classic vegetarian burger, I was disappointed when I learned that they don’t offer gluten free buns. Instead, the menu says that burgers and dogs are available bunless in a bowl, but when I asked for that in my order, the server informed me that they do not actually offer it. I had to speak to a different chef to simply clarify that I just did not want a bun.
I ordered the veggie burger ($10.99) with lettuce, tomato and pickle, with a side of fries, but I was left disappointed when the food arrived. There was only one piece of lettuce, two pickles and one tomato in my entire dish, and although that may be enough for a regular burger, I had expected more since I informed them that I was gluten free. Other burger places I have been to offer more complex lettuce wraps in order to make up for the lack of bun, for those like myself who are gluten free, and the lack-there-of at Z-Burger left me dissatisfied with this dish.
The veggie burger itself was delicious, but extraordinarily thin, so I definitely recommend ordering the double burger. The fries on the other hand, almost made up for the whole experience, as I can confidently say they were some of the best I have ever had.
Overall, this dining experience had its ups and downs. I strongly recommend dining at Maman Joon Kabobs if you want a delicious, cultured-filled meal, but keep in mind the relatively high prices. If you do not have allergies and are just craving a class burger or hotdog, then I also recommend Z-Burger. But if you do have allergies like me, then I’d opt to stay home, instead of spending $10 on a meal you could easily have made from the comfort of your own kitchen.