MSP: Marina Grill and Deli

[debbie421]

A Muslim friend of mine recently told us about Marina Grill and Deli on University and Lowry in NE Minneapolis. We tried it out last night and it was amazing! Did some searching on the board and couldn't find any mention on it. Has anyone else gone? It was the first night of Ramadan, so they had a HUGE buffet going on. We actually went so far as to say it blew Holy Land out of the water. (They do use Holy Land bread though.) We'll definitely be going back.

[jenniegirl]

My husband and I have been here before-and they have another one called Big Marina Grill (I think) on Central. Anyway, there's a coupon in the Happenings book. I'd like to go again and try the buffet.

[MayrMN]

My husband and I went during Ramadan to the Central Ave location back in 2007. I thought it was really good, but if you are not Muslim, go before dusk. I swear, it is a total ZOO after sunset. The food is all fresh and hot just waiting for the sun to go down.

[KTFoley]

Good reminder -- Ramadan is about to begin if it has not already started.

[Foureyes137]

It started Saturday and Marina on Lowry and University had a big party with a tent in the parking lot to celebrate before sunset. It made the entire neighborhood smell AWESOME for 5 hours.

[kevin47]

We went to Big Marina Grill and Deli, which is the sister restaurant. We had the buffet, which had some good stuff, but also some duds. The currys and sauce-based dishes were underspiced, and the sausage tasted like burger.

The standouts were the standards: cucumber yogurt, dolma, gyros, falafel, tabouleh and baklava. That halal chicken wings and various pastries were also quite good. Plenty of reasons to go back, and the individual menu items are very inexpensive. 8 pieces of falafel for $2?

[faith]

debbie, could you give some more detail on why it was so great? what did you have?

[debbie421]

I'm so bad at that kind of post (I know, why do I come on chowhounds then?). All I can really say is we literally tried every dish in the buffet and liked them all. I'm not a true foodie, as in I can't tell you what's authentic and what's not. I just know what I like!

I can say I had the most tender lamb I've had anywhere. I ate it only using a plastic fork. I also really enjoyed their eggplant salad (I love anything with vinegar) and their version of baklava. It was a little different then I'm used to with a creamy center, but darn tasty.