Padria: Cordiality and Cuisine From the Cradle of Civilization, Here in Kirkland

MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE has long been touted as ideal for staying fit because it is rich in vegetables, healthy fats and lean protein. Far from the “rabbit food” that many Americans associate with a healthy diet, Mediterranean dishes are light with lemon juice and redolent with heady spices, though not “spicy” like their Indian neighbors.

The best way to taste these good, authentic flavors is to find a good, authentic Mediterranean cook. Kirkland has had just such a place since 2008 when Moussad and Shahin Shahidy opened in Juanita Village.

The newlywed couple moved to the United Stated from Tehran, Iran, in 1976 with their 5-month-old son in tow, settling in California, where they raised their kids until moving to Finn Hill in 1989.

Moussad has worked in the restaurant industry his whole life; the couple owned an Italian restaurant while living in California. Shahin -- or “Shay” as her regulars call her -- grew up cooking the Persian food of her maternal heritage and the Turkish cuisine of her father’s. And while Shay cooks much of the food at Padria, she actually spent 21 years as an associate project manager at Hewlett Packard.

The food at Padria is delicious, but more about that in a minute. What Shay is known for is her beautiful customer service, a genuinely warm and elegant personality that radiates from her very core.

“I love people,” Shay gushes. “Not like a sales person, it comes naturally.”

Padria was filled with regulars on my visit and Shay knew them all, including who was about to become a new grandparent and how long happy toddlers had been customers, all of whom thanked Shay when leaving or hugged her goodbye.

“Sometimes she sits and chats with me while I eat,” says Donna Mabbutt, a retired Lake Washington School District elementary teacher and avid Padria customer.

If you get Shay talking about the food, don’t be surprised by her effusive knowledge on each ingredient's heath-inducing powers. Take the mustard-colored spice turmeric, for example -- did you know that it is good for your heart? Or, that lemon juice helps cut through the fats in your diet? These are just a couple of the facts Shay is proud to claim.

THE RESTAURANT is part open kitchen/deli counter and part tastefully designed dining room.

“We had an interior designer come in,” says Shay, pointing out the hand-blown glass lamp shades, glowing like butterscotch candies filled with champagne bubbles.

The walls are russet with dark wood accents, creating an atmosphere that is as warm as the first scent of savory Mediterranean spices.

Padria’s menu contains Greek elements -- familiar gyro sandwiches filled with moist lamb meat that has been basted in olive oil and seasoning.

“People that claim to hate lamb love it here,” boasts Shay.

Turkish dishes like the lamb shank special, the rice and the salads, fill about a third of the menu. The chicken souvlaki hit the spot for lunch -- lemon and spice marinated and grilled chicken, moist and tender, on a bed of chopped romaine, briny olives, tomatoes and red onions -- served with two pita wedges and a cup of cool tzatziki.

Shay doesn’t neglect her Persian heritage in the menu, including gheimeh -- a beef, potato and lentil stew much like an Indian dish without the flaming curry -- chelo kabobs and koobideh.

Of course, you’ll need to chase that good food with something sweet like the baklava or a bold Turkish coffee. After all, nothing at Padria is fried (except the fries, of course). Or, you might just tip back a glass of wine or a cold beer with dinner -- Padria serves a variety of both.

Padria is the kind of place that creates long-term relationships. While many restaurants close in their first year, Shay claims that Padria has steadily grown, largely due to word-of-mouth advertising from committed regulars.

No matter what day of the week it is, Shay and Moussad are nearly guaranteed to be there.

“To run a good restaurant, you have to be there,” says Shay who admits to being a “control freak” when it comes to food and cleanliness.

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Padria is open daily for eat-in or take-out dining. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 12-8 p.m. Call 425-814-1693 for to-go orders and check out their website for the full menu.