Plano's latest Mediterranean arrival is quietly building a following with Turkish-style flatbreads, Lebanese-inspired sauces and flame-grilled kabobs, all wrapped in a laid-back but polished setting. Harissa Mediterranean's soft, seasoned pita and a pepperoni-topped pide are already turning into neighborhood talking points.
Sibling-run spot with Midwest roots
The restaurant is owned and operated by siblings Rima and Jimmy Sejdini, longtime Collin County locals who grew up in the family restaurant business. The spot opened Oct. 11 at Lakeside Market, and the pair have already talked about expanding to other Dallas-Fort Worth locations, according to Community Impact.
What to order
Co-owner Jimmy Sejdini told Axios Dallas that Harissa's menu pulls from Italy, Turkey and Lebanon, and that he and his sister brought in chefs from Michigan to help launch the kitchen. "There are a lot of Mediterranean restaurants in Michigan. We couldn't find anything like that here, so we said let's just try it," Sejdini said.
Axios Dallas highlights the shish tawook, marinated chicken kabobs served with rice and vegetables, and the beef pepperoni pide, a Turkish flatbread. The outlet notes that the pita dropped at every table is seasoned and soft, the style Sejdini remembers from Detroit, and lists the tawook at about $26 and the pide at $15.
Menu, hours and reservations
Harissa's website lays out hours, a reservation link and a full bar program that includes Turkish coffee and house cocktails. Diners can check availability and book on the restaurant's site or through OpenTable, which shows Harissa Mediterranean with positive guest ratings and a healthy number of booked time slots. Harissa's website and OpenTable both list current booking and menu details.
Why locals are talking
Although Harissa opened months ago, this week's "Tasty Tuesday" feature from Axios Dallas put a brighter spotlight on the Plano spot and helped push more diners through the doors. The mix of familiar kabobs and less expected items, like pepperoni-topped pide sitting alongside classic tawook, appears to be clicking with guests, and the owners say they are watching customer feedback as they consider where to grow next. Axios Dallas's mention is the latest indication that the concept is landing with Plano diners.
