The incredible gifts of culture and science from the Mediterranean Basin are thankfully spread far and wide across the globe. The arts, music, mathematics and records of ancient history have survived the millennia to our great benefit, and thankfully, so has the food. One of several Mediterranean restaurants serving the Nashua area is the cherished Cedars Cafe, and they offer a wide variety of traditional, mouthwatering dishes. Their namesakes are the revered Lebanon Cedar and the Cedars of God, the latter of which is a section of the remnants of the extensive forests of Lebanon. The venerable, indigenous tree species has been widely decimated by industry-fueled clearcutting over past centuries, and more recently, by the effects of climate change. In 1998, the Cedars of God landmark was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A silhouette of the beloved tree is the main feature of the Lebanese flag, and is the emblem of this week’s featured restaurant.

Cedars Cafe is family-owned and operated. Open six days a week, they prepare their ingredients and dishes fresh every morning – as one must if one is offering some of the most delicious food in the world. Soft and fluffy pita envelopes the finest components in several different wraps that are available in refreshingly vegetarian and delightfully omnivorous. The falafel is award-winning at Cedars’, and is made using crushed chickpeas and fava beans, herbs and seasoning. It is fried to a golden brown and paired with tomatoes, pickles, onions and tahini sauce for a wrap that is both savory and healthier; a spicy version (“Falafallo”), using buffalo sauce infused in the falafel, is also available. House-made hummus (chickpeas crushed and blended with garlic, lemon juice and tahini), tabouleh (fresh chopped parsley, cracked wheat, tomatoes, onions, lemon juice, olive oil and spices), and stuffed grape leaves (hand-rolled and stuffed with rice; marinated in crushed garlic, lemon juice and olive oil) are other options for vegetarian wraps. Their chicken kabobs are famous, and rightly so. The portioned filets are tender and juicy, having been liberally marinated in a beautiful combination of spices and grilled to perfection. In the wrap, they are harmonious with tomatoes, pickles, onions and a bold, housemade garlic sauce. A deluxe version that adds hummus and tabouleh is like a hearty salad within the most direct delivery mechanism. Kafta is a blend of ground sirloin and lamb, Middle Eastern spices, parsley, and minced onion. Rolled into a stout, oblong shape, they are grilled as kebabs. Kibbeh consists of minced beef or lamb mixed with Bulghur wheat, onion, parsley, and spices; at Cedars’, the filling is extra lean beef and a bonus layer of pine nuts; they are baked and browned to a golden, crunchy perfection. Many more wraps options are available on the menu.

Dinner plates are available in a wide variety of kabobs, kibbeh and shawarma (strips of beef marinated and cooked on a vertical spit and shaved off per order), and are served with Mediterranean rice, a lovely grilled mix of onions, mushrooms and peppers, a generous portion of fresh pita, and the choice of a side salad or hummus. Combination plates are self-explaining, and are ideal for those who like meal-sized samples; they offer the same protein options as the dinner plates, as well as falafel and sides of tabouleh, hummus, and pita.

“Mama’s Specials” are a trio of heartwarming vegetarian sides that taste like home, even if you do not hail from the dazzling coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Mjadra consists of baked lentils, rice and caramelised onions; the green beans are garden-fresh and are mixed with onions in a rich tomato sauce; the zucchini also comes straight from the garden, with summer squash and onions in the same tomato sauce as the green beans. Single kabob skewers, kafta and kibbeh are available as appetizers or additions to your meal if you like. Other options include the grape leaves, tabouleh, and hummus, as well as the famed baba ghanoush (roasted eggplant that is mashed and blended with tahini, lemon juice and garlic).

Cedars Cafe is a special kind of place that fills the hearts of those who miss their home region of the Middle East, or the cooking of a beloved family member. Simultaneously, they also routinely provide new culinary experiences for those looking to expand on their paletes, and therefore, their life experience. A visit to them soon would surely succeed in doing just that.

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