Piperi Mediterranean Grill

I rarely go out for lunch. Even when I worked in an office, I almost always brought my lunch with me. I find that every time I go out for lunch, I end up feeling full, sluggish, and tired for the rest of the day.

But when the folks at Piperi Mediterranean Grill ("Piperi" is Greek for peppercorn) reached out to me and asked if I wanted to check them out for this blog, I was intrigued. Their website states that they use nothing but fresh ingredients (never frozen - they don't even have a freezer); their dishes feature mostly lean meats, vegetables, and beans; the chicken they use is humanely raised without antibiotics, growth stimulants, hormones, or animal byproducts; and they never use trans fats. They also use Gozi bread for all of their sandwiches, which I thought was unique. Gozi is a modern interpretation of Gözleme, a traditional hand-rolled pastry from Turkey. It's a little thinner than pita bread, but has a similar taste and texture.

Being a falafel fiend, I decided to order the Falafel Gozi ($6.50) for lunch on the day I visited.

The Falafel Gozi is chocked full of red cabbage slaw, creamy hummus, mixed greens, and tahini sauce. The employee who made my sandwich also recommended adding the Moroccan carrots to the mix, and that was one damn good decision.

The tangy cabbage slaw and spiced carrots complemented the crispy, non-greasy falafel beautifully. The sandwich could have easily been too heavy without the mixed greens, which helped to lighten up the dish nicely, while also providing a necessary crunch in each bite. And you totally get what you pay for with this sandwich - there were a ton of falafel inside, which made for one satiating lunch.

The Falafel Gozi is one of Piperi's "favorite combinations," along with dishes like the Chicken Gozi ($7) and the Veggie Plate ($7.50), which consists of brown rice pilaf, roasted vegetables, Moroccan carrots, hummus, olives, and yogurt cucumber sauce. But if you're feeling creative, you can make your own dish or sandwich - you simply pick whether you want a sandwich, salad, or mezze plate and build from there. 

Piperi is easy to get to via public transit, but if you have to drive, they're adjacent to a parking garage.

Overall, I think Piperi is a great quick lunch option that's affordable, delicious, and actually somewhat healthy (and not too filling for a mid-day meal). If you work or live in the area - or even somewhat close by - I highly recommend stopping in and trying some of their food (especially the falafel!).

Do you typically go out for lunch, or do you bring a lunch to work? 

This meal was complimentary, but all opinions are my own.

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