A new Caucasian restaurant, NAR Restaurant, opened a few months ago in Mountain View on El Camino Real, taking over the former Thai restaurant space. There is plenty of parking, which is always a plus in this area.
Caucasian cuisine originates from the regions of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan and is known for rich stews, hearty lamb and beef dishes, flavorful soups and bold spices. All of that can be found on the NAR menu, with a heavy emphasis on Azerbaijan’s relationship with pomegranates – NAR is the Azerbaijani word for the fruit.
NAR offers a spacious dining room with plenty of tables suitable for couples or large groups. Tables are set with white linens and blue cloth napkins, giving the space a polished feel.
When we arrived just a few minutes after opening for lunch, we were greeted by a strong smell of cleaning disinfectant (another couple nearby noticed it as well), along with loud drilling sounds coming from the back of the restaurant. Thankfully, the drilling stopped after several minutes.
The menu is extensive. They offer a fixed-price menu at $39.90 per person, which felt steep for lunch. The regular menu was reasonably priced, though it lacked detailed descriptions of the dishes. NAR also features Caucasian wines and a stunning wine bar, though I skipped the wine.
We started with the lentil soup, which was puréed and topped with dry mint. The spice blend was wonderful, though the soup arrived lukewarm. Still, the flavors came through nicely. The lamb kebab was cooked to perfection and served with a fresh green salad and pan-seared potatoes. We also tried the chicken shawarma wrap, which was generously filled with flavorful chicken and came with excellent French fries.
Service could use improvement – our server did not check in on us until after we had finished our meals. However, she did treat us to their special tea, which was quite good and a nice touch.
Despite a few hiccups, the food shows a lot of promise. I’m looking forward to returning for dinner and exploring their wine selection.
NAR Restaurant is located at 286 West El Camino Real in Mountain View. Their phone number is (650) 705-2007.
