The Armenian Gourmet

It's a sin to be home watching TV on a Friday night - at least I think so. At the very least, I try to go out and eat in a new restaurant. Last, last Friday, I was searching for a new restaurant in Yelp and I found this Armenian/Greek restaurant with great reviews (it had 1 horrible review, some so-so reviews but it generally had good reviews so the negatives can be dismissed with caution). It turned out to be a little jewel (as to what kind of jewel... read on to find out) of a place.

The restaurant is called The Armenian Gourmet (929 E Duane Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94085). It is a small place and is a little off the beaten path so be on the look out for the strip mall in the midst of a residential area. When we went, we actually did not see the restaurant from the road since the sign was small and not lighted. We just decided that it must be in the strip mall we just passed so we went there, parked and found it.

This restaurant has a family-restaurant feel to it. It is quite small - probably 15 tables and the crew is limited. I don't know how many they have at other times but when we went there, there were only two. The servers were quite friendly though and they seat you immediately and hand you the menu.

The items on the menu always come in a set - you will get rice and salad with your order as well as freshly baked, warm pita and creamy, mildly-spiced hummus. I loved the pita and the hummus they serve for starters while you are waiting for your order. One of my favorite things about eating in Italian restaurant is having bread with balsamic and olive oil. I think this is even better. The pita is warm (seemingly freshly baked) and is served in a bread basket with cloth over it to preserve it from getting cold. You also get a saucer of mildly spiced, creamy hummus to dip it in. I would have preferred the hummus creamier and with slightly more garlic but still, it was scrumptuous! After a few minutes, they will serve the greek salad. That was also delicious. The greens were really fresh. The feta cheese gives just enough salty contrast to make the tomatoes taste really sweet. They also serve more that enough to satisfy you. I actually felt full after eating the bread and the salad. Once you are done with the salad, they will serve your entree. I had beef and onions. It was OK but it was not really that good for me. I don't know why but I get a slight flavor of liver with this dish and I just don't like liver. From the reviews I read that the kebabs are good so maybe I will try that next time.

The servers were very friendly. They were actually talking to some of the customers like they know them so you get the feeling that this place has faithful patrons. However, they seem to be strict with the time so make sure you go there by at least 8PM as the kitchen closes at 9.

The food is a bit pricy but given that you get starters, a salad and an entree, it is OK. The first two courses are just delicious. While I cannot speak that well about the entree that I tried, the place still looks promising as there are a lot of other entrees to choose from.

I think the place is a jewel - but more like a gemstone than a diamond. The fact that it is small and is off the beaten path gives a special quality to it - like it is a discovery between you and a few select people. It is a definitely a place I would recommend for people to try even if its just for the pita and the hummus.