Some people may not have heard of Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe since Northwest Arkansas' first location opened a little more than a year ago, but chances are it won't be long until this franchise restaurant is a household name.
Founded in 1998, Taziki's is recognized as one of the nation's fastest growing small chains by Restaurant Business Magazine.
The concept of the restaurant folds into one of the more popular restaurant categories, fast-casual, which offers fast and fresh preparation with moderate pricing and tableside delivery of orders.
That quality, along with the healthy-conscious cuisine and fresh flavors, has attracted many customers to Taziki's.
Putting the customer's experience and satisfaction at the front of the line is another reason why those customers keep coming back.
CEO Jim Keet expressed that every customer should be treated as if they are the boss. That respect and care is a two-way street and shows up in many aspects of the business model.
The restaurant features more than 100 made-from-scratch recipes with Mediterranean-inspired flavors. The menu also adds a little bit of Southern flare, as demonstrated with their signature pasta dish and the spicy pimento cheese.
Taziki's uses high-quality, fresh ingredients and receives daily deliveries of fresh produce.
"Our goal is to start over every morning from scratch," Tommy Keet said.
Tommy Keet owns and operates the Arkansas locations, along with his brother, Jake, and their father, Jim. The Keets recently opened a new location at the McCain Mall in North Little Rock. There are three locations in Little Rock, one in Conway, one in Fayetteville and one in Bentonville.
Brad Compton, who began as a kitchen manager at Taziki's, is the operating partner of the Northwest Arkansas locations.
The menu serves appetizers, soups, salads, deli-style sandwiches, grilled-to-order gyros, hearty entrees, kid's meals, housemade desserts, beer and wine.
Taziki recently expanded the vegetarian menu items, and all vegetarian options are clearly marked on the menu.
The majority of the menu items are gluten-free by nature. Exceptions include pasta, bread, desserts and the skordalia sauce.
Additional selections are offered with the daily chalkboard special.
Monday's special is a portobello mushroom sandwich with grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, Swiss cheese and mushroom butter on a kaiser bun.
Tuesdays serve up a roasted pork loin sandwich with lettuce, tomato and tomato chutney aioli on a kaiser bun.
Spanakopita roll-up with grilled chicken, fresh spinach and feta in a grilled flour tortilla with a side of housemade salsa is offered on Wednesdays.
Taziki's Taco on Thursdays folds grilled tilapia, diced tomatoes, slaw and a spicy herb sauce into a tortilla.
The weekend special starts on Friday and continues through Sunday. It is Taziki's Signature Pasta with penne and grilled chicken tossed in balsamic vinaigrette, then served on a bed of lettuce and topped with tomatoes, feta and fresh basil.
Taziki's also offers healthy options for children including a chicken roll-up, turkey melt, grilled cheese or grilled chicken and rice.
Founded in 1998 by Keith and Amy Richards, who were inspired by a Greek vacation, the first location opened at the Colonnade shopping center in Birmingham, Ala.
Throughout the trip, the Richards fell in love with the fresh flavors of the Mediterranean.
"We wanted to bring the Mediterranean experience to the South by making our customers feel like dinner guests in our home," Keith Richards said.
Taziki's can also bring the Mediterranean experience to customer's homes with a wide variety of catering options.
The Dinner for 4 menu is available for pickup after 2 p.m. and offers a selection from the Taziki's Feast entrees. The meal is served with pita chips and a choice of Greek salad, basmati rice or roasted new potatoes. Fresh grilled vegetables can be added for a complete meal.
Boxed lunches offer a sandwich or roll-up with a choice of side item. The option to add a cookie and bottle of water is also available.
For feeding large groups, Taziki's Feasts offer the most popular entrees and are priced to serve from 7-24 people. Side orders include basmati rice, roasted new potatoes, tomato-cucumber salad, pasta salad or fresh-cut fruit. Bulk orders of hummus, Taziki's Dip, spicy pimento cheese, chicken salad, Greek or Mediterranean salads are also available.
The full menu and catering options is available online at tazikiscafe.com. The Fayetteville location is beside Malco Razorback Cinema on Joyce Boulevard. The number there is (479) 521-8291 and the restaurant offers an outdoor patio and drive-thru window.
The Bentonville location is at 1000 SE Walton Boulevard, near SE J Street. That location also has a patio, and the phone number is (479) 715-0647.
NAN Dining Guide Cover on 10/17/2014