The NOOGAtoday team could have arrived at 405 Mid-East Bistro by foot (it was only a few blocks away from our office), but we decided to utilize the free ChattyWagon services instead. You should, too. It’s a lot of fun — like a big golf cart — and all you have to do is tip the driver.
The 405 is the latest in a surprising list of restaurants to inhabit this specific location. 405 Market Street was the former site of Noodles & Company, which occupied the space for three years and closed in late 2015. After that, Henpecked Chicken opened for a few months in that space before closing.
Owner and Executive Chef Rashad Moughrabi spent about $200,000 to renovate the existing space into a gorgeous Middle Eastern Mediterranean restaurant. You’ll notice small details, such as the logo engraved on the wooden serving platters, that tell you some money + care has gone into the end product.
Upon arrival, the host sat us in a table underneath a large Christmas wreath (I’m all for leaving decorations up year-round) and we settled in for what we hoped was going to be a taste of the eastern Mediterranean. I still get excited about food after all these years.
Atmosphere/service
As mentioned, the interior is stunning. Sea blue walls are textured and subtle, glowing planetary orbs offer ambient lighting, and the chairs — a tufted pattern — are the most comfortable you’re likely to find in any restaurant. (No, really. They’re super comfy chairs).
Lunch is served daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner service is from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. A new Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. features items not usually on the menu throughout the week. Looking for a fancy bar without the big crowds? This is it. Happy hour is Monday through Thursday 5-7 p.m., with discounts on wine + cocktails. The full schedule is here.
Our server filled our water glasses and we pored over the menu. It’s probably no accident that first thing you see peeking out of the kitchen are the vertical rotisseries (broilers) with giant slabs of meat hanging on them. Who doesn’t love giant slabs of meat? That meat — chicken, lamb + beef — is used to make kebabs, gyros and more. Vegetarians can find plenty of options to fill their no-meat bellies ... from hummus, baba ghanooj (roasted eggplant), falafel, stuffed grape leaves, mashwiya (zucchini yogurt) and the delicious red lentil soup.
Oh, and the restaurant also has an extensive wine list. I read a few entries and I think J. Peterman might be the sommelier. “You may find yourself reading The Times in bed, ruminating in the bouquet of a Cuban you confiscated after that stint in Central America …” kind of thing. But seriously, the staff is knowledgeable about pairings and can guide you to the perfect experience.
The Food
There is a framed newspaper article on the wall from The Chattanooga Times dated May 1978. The article is a profile of The Skewer Restaurant that Moughrabi’s father owned in Chattanooga. Back then, only two “Middle Eastern” items were on the menu: a burger called the kuffteh burger (ground beef, parsley, spices on a hoagie) and the now popular + legendary steak in a sack (roasted + sliced beef in pita bread).
The tradition continues with the next generation and The 405. Chloé Morrison saw the article on the way in and decided to order the steak in a sack for herself. Why not, right? According to the menu, the recipe hasn’t changed since The Skewer Restaurant days in 1978.
Adam Green and I felt the need to eat as much meat as possible. He ordered the mixed grill combination. It’s a sampler of shish kebab beef, kifta kabob, chicken taouk and chicken shawarma. I ordered the beef + lamb shawarma combination. We both had a side of mixed, sautéed veggies and roasted potatoes.
To start, we ordered a mezze sampler for the table. It has a bunch of goodies — three types of hummus, falafel, grape leaves + mid-east pickles and olives. Yum.
Our mezze arrived quickly. The hummus sampler is a must for the table, even if you’re not that hungry. They do a great job with the subtle flavors needed to make a hummus stand out. The baba ghanooj and mashwiya are particularly good. Having said that, a restaurant will never make a stuffed grape leaf roll as good as my grandmother’s version, but she also tended to use a criminally dangerous amount of butter. This version was at least healthier. And I’ve had far worse. Lastly, I could snack on good olives all day. These are good olives.
Our main “plates” arrived quickly. The word “plates” is in quotes because it was actually more like a wooden serving platter than a traditional dinner plate. As I mentioned earlier, each plank had the name of the restaurant engraved on them. I’m no accountant, but I’ll guess that a good $180,000 of the money Moughrabi spent on renovations went into these wooden platters.
Our conversation tended toward shoptalk (i.e., work stuff) until the food arrived. Then, it was just “oohs” and “ahhs” and discussion about how succulent the meat was or how much flavor was packed into the hummus. I know I ate more shawarma than I should have … just bite after bite of lamb and beef. Adam particularly enjoyed the flavor of the chicken taouk (an incredibly moist, grilled chicken marinated with lemon, garlic, ginger + spices).
Would we go back?
We’ll be back to The 405 — soon and often. I tend to crave Mediterranean cuisine and, with the exception of Ankar’s, this restaurant is my closest option. We worry a little bit about the location. It’s hard not to after the recent closures in the same spot. It appears that downtown’s hub of activity has shifted about 10 blocks away — from the 400 block of Market Street to the 1400 block of Market Street. There just isn’t as much nighttime traffic in the area as there used to be.
Having said that, The 405 is a great option for lunch — maybe the best on the block — when you’re craving something other than a burger or pizza downtown in the afternoon. I would argue it’s almost the perfect romantic spot (definitely quiet) for dinner if you’re looking to go on a date or spend some quiet time with a significant other. It might just be the best of both worlds.
Let us know where we should go next. Have you been to The 405? What did you think? We’re all ears … and stomachs.
—Sean
