Firewood Kabob - Buffalo Grove

There was mention of this place in the opening & closing thread a while back and then nothing since. I've ordered takeout from here a few times recently and I really enjoy it. My regular order has become the baba ghanoush & chicken shawerma entree. Their baba is a little thinner than at other places (the proprietor warned me that they make it differently than at other places) but the burnt eggplant is apparent and really comes through. The chicken shawerma is slightly charred and delicious and a great accompaniment to the baba. I've also had the falafel which are quite good.

Compared to Pita Inn, I would say that the prices are a little higher but the quality is as well.


Firewood Kabob
1663 N Buffalo Grove Rd
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
(847) 793-8500
http://www.firewoodkabob.com/
Sun-Thur 11-9, Fri-Sat 11-10

I've eaten at Firewood Kabob maybe half a dozen times as it's much closer to my house than is Pita Inn. FK's falafel is very good, with thick crunch outside and delicious spicy inside. I really like their fire roasted meat and vegetable dishes as well. I'm not nearly as fond of their hummus, which is rather thin and bland, and their Middle Eastern salads aren't as good as those at Pita Inn. PI's pita bread is also much better.

I've been here a few times and I'm definitely rooting for them but my visits have all yielded very dry, overcooked meat. The flavors have been great but because of the overcooking, the overall experience has been lackluster. The lentil soup is great, though.

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i've been a couple times and find the meat way better than Pita Inn's; more moist and flavorful. should note that i believe PI's meat is consistently very dry.

dudefella wrote:i've been a couple times and find the meat way better than Pita Inn's; more moist and flavorful. should note that i believe PI's meat is consistently very dry.

Once long ago, Pita Inn's shish kebabs were much better. They were continuously cooking and serving them. Now they cook and hold, rendering the meat completely cooked and rather dry instead of medium rare.

Regards,

dudefella wrote:i've been a couple times and find the meat way better than Pita Inn's; more moist and flavorful. should note that i believe PI's meat is consistently very dry.

I find Pita Inn annoying for a variety of reasons (how many times can they forget to pack the pita bread into our order? The place should just be called Inn) but dry meat isn't one of them. Maybe it's because we typically order from the Dempster store at the height of the lunch rush but the meats are usually decent -- not always -- but usually. Firewood isn't a lunch option for me, so it really doesn't matter how they compare but I'd love it if I could rely on the place for an occasional dinner.

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In this and other threads as well, I would find comments about meat being dry or juicy more useful if the people making the comments would also say what time of day they ate at the restaurant in question. I suspect restaurants follow daily routines concerning prepping, cooking, and storing food, and therefore, I would expect to a restaurant's food to be freshly cooked or stored for reheating at pretty much the same times every day. Insights into what are the best times of day to visit a place would be helpful, at least to me.

We visited Firewood Kabob around 12:30 PM and ordered the lunch special. Last Friday, we went to Pita Inn (in Mundelein) and also ordered the lunch special. The meat at Firewood Kabob tasted good and was not dried out (like Pita Inn). The owner of Firewood Kabob was super friendly and visited each table to see if anyone had any issues/comments. At Firewood Kabob, they were much more flexible on substitutions than at Pita Inn. I paid a small upcharge to have extra falafels instead of the salad. Even though Firewood Kabob is slightly more expensive than Pita Inn, I would prefer to go to Firewood Kabob. I plan to try the grilled vegetables the next time I go there. The restaurant is in a strip mall which is across the street from Didier Farm (which has great corn).

Here is the lunch special (with extra rice instead of a salad). The two pita halves are not in the picture. Note: the lunch special now contains chicken shawerma instead of the chicken kabob (marinated chicken breast).



Here is the hummos & chicken shawerma with extra pita bread.

ronnie_suburban wrote:

dudefella wrote:i've been a couple times and find the meat way better than Pita Inn's; more moist and flavorful. should note that i believe PI's meat is consistently very dry.

I find Pita Inn annoying for a variety of reasons (how many times can they forget to pack the pita bread into our order? The place should just be called Inn) but dry meat isn't one of them. Maybe it's because we typically order from the Dempster store at the height of the lunch rush but the meats are usually decent -- not always -- but usually. Firewood isn't a lunch option for me, so it really doesn't matter how they compare but I'd love it if I could rely on the place for an occasional dinner.

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Maybe it's just me but I have NEVER had an issue with the dozens of time I've ordered carryout at Pita Inn with them forgetting the pita bread. I frequent the Wheeling, Niles, and Mundelein locations (though the later I've only ate at the restaurant) regularly.

chuckywang wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:

dudefella wrote:i've been a couple times and find the meat way better than Pita Inn's; more moist and flavorful. should note that i believe PI's meat is consistently very dry.

I find Pita Inn annoying for a variety of reasons (how many times can they forget to pack the pita bread into our order? The place should just be called Inn) but dry meat isn't one of them. Maybe it's because we typically order from the Dempster store at the height of the lunch rush but the meats are usually decent -- not always -- but usually. Firewood isn't a lunch option for me, so it really doesn't matter how they compare but I'd love it if I could rely on the place for an occasional dinner.

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Maybe it's just me but I have NEVER had an issue with the dozens of time I've ordered carryout at Pita Inn with them forgetting the pita bread. I frequent the Wheeling, Niles, and Mundelein locations (though the later I've only ate at the restaurant) regularly.

I'm sad to say this still happens to us with some regularity out of the Skokie store . . . as recently as last week, in fact. Maybe it's because we place relatively large orders. Who knows. In any case, it's become a running joke here at the office.

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Here are some vegetarian items from the menu (stuffed grape leaves, tahini salad, fatoush salad, hummus, and baba ghanoush).



The baba ghanoush is much better at Firewood Kebob than at Pita Inn.

shorty wrote:The baba ghanoush is much better at Firewood Kebob than at Pita Inn.

In what respect? Smokier, fresher-tasting, chunkier, more acidic, more herbaceous? I find folks' opinions on baba to be pretty subjective, which is why I'm asking.

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ronnie_suburban wrote:

shorty wrote:The baba ghanoush is much better at Firewood Kebob than at Pita Inn.

In what respect? Smokier, fresher-tasting, chunkier, more acidic, more herbaceous? I find folks' opinions on baba to be pretty subjective, which is why I'm asking.

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It was smokier at Firewood Kebob. Even the Whole Foods baba ghanoush was smokier tasting than the one from Pita Inn. I only had the baba ghanoush at Pita Inn one time. Maybe I need to try it again. It tasted a lot like spinach dip to me.

shorty wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:

shorty wrote:The baba ghanoush is much better at Firewood Kebob than at Pita Inn.

In what respect? Smokier, fresher-tasting, chunkier, more acidic, more herbaceous? I find folks' opinions on baba to be pretty subjective, which is why I'm asking.

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It was smokier at Firewood Kebob. Even the Whole Foods baba ghanoush was smokier tasting than the one from Pita Inn. I only had the baba ghanoush at Pita Inn one time. Maybe I need to try it again. It tasted a lot like spinach dip to me.

I think the Pita Inn version is definitely on the less smokey end of the spectrum. Some folks call that "better."

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Firewood's is definitely smokey and nice and chunky. I'm a huge fan of it. Especially with a heap of chicken shawarma on top.

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fropones wrote:Firewood's is definitely smokey and nice and chunky. I'm a huge fan of it. Especially with a heap of chicken shawarma on top.

In between video shoots out in this area, I needed a lunch break nearby. On fropones suggestion I stopped by Firewood Kabab, and very glad I did. I ordered the above Chicken Shawarma over baba ghanoush (a modified order subbing baba for the normal hummus), plus 2 falafel on the side. Everything was Excellent!

The baba ghanoush was indeed excellent. It was so Smokey I asked, and they verified, the eggplant, as the kabobs, are grilled over real wood. No surprise that the baba here is much smoker than the typical place. I dislike when a restaurant processes baba ghanoush so heavily that it's just a bunch of slimy vegetable matter. Firewood's was not so, being chunky with almost under-cooked (in a good way, at least to me) pieces of eggplant.

The falafels were excellent, fresh out of the fryer with a crisp exterior, and a green moist interior. I'd say as good or better than the best I've had fresh made in the city.

The Chicken Shawarmawas a perfect mix of tender moist chunks and charred, almost bacony bits. It was not dry in the least bit. Excellent spicing as well.

The table bottle of hot sauce was indeed HOT if you need a spice kick for the day.

I think this is a place deserving of another shot if you had a bad experience in the past. I mean, how many Middle Eastern places cook their over live hardwood fires? I can't wait to get back to try some of those.

laikom wrote:[img]

fropones wrote:Firewood's is definitely smokey and nice and chunky. I'm a huge fan of it. Especially with a heap of chicken shawarma on top.

In between video shoots out in this area, I needed a lunch break nearby. On fropones suggestion I stopped by Firewood Kabab, and very glad I did. I ordered the above Chicken Shawarma over baba ghanoush (a modified order subbing baba for the normal hummus), plus 2 falafel on the side. Everything was Excellent!

I tried to get that very substitution last night at Pita Inn, they would not oblige.

Your reaction plus these people will do this is enough incentive to get me to visit.

I was nearly shorted on pita bread last night, I had to ask to get the right quantity.

Thanks!

Regards,

Firewood is listed for sale. $175,000 for the business only

cashflowrulesagain wrote:Firewood is listed for sale. $175,000 for the business only

Can you please provide a link to and/or a source for this information?

Thanks,

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http://businessforsale.newsok.com/Busin ... UE%3D&J=AA

BR wrote:Firewood Kabob: 1663 N. Buffalo Grove Rd. Buffalo Grove, IL (Lake County)

Thanks, Brad

Here's a bit more, via the link:

A proven Fast Casual concept that virtually runs itself. Firewood has earned a deep inventory of soaring reviews, and solid customer base. Golden opportunity to compete in the exploding $20 billion Fast Casual market. Complete turnkey & trademarked operation with huge upside. Well equipped, and expertly designed 2,070 sf space. Sits right next door to Starbucks in a bustling Buffalo Grove shopping center. Proof of funds and 48 hours notice required before showing. *BUSINESS ONLY*

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I drove by Firewood Kebob yesterday and saw that it was replaced by this restaurant which opened on May 6: http://bakersdenic.com/. I ended up going to Naf Naf Grill which was nearby, but the falafel was not as good.