Dining Out:

Seems like everyone is trying to save money these days. Going out to eat is one extravagance that might be getting cut out of your monthly budget. Might I suggest using your “eating out” money at lunch time instead of dinner? Great deals can be had in the noon to 3 p.m. time slot, and you still get to enjoy the pleasure of good food and nice service.

One of the best deals I’ve come across lately is the lunch special at Olivia Restaurant in Burbank. For $6.99, you get a kebab right off the grill, two appetizers, rice or salad and pita bread, plus table service in unique surroundings.

Now, I admit the surroundings at Olivia will not be everyone’s cup of tea. It is an eclectic mix of zebra print chairs, textured walls, flowing curtains and dramatic lighting, including a bar with changing colored LED lights. Also there’s a hookah lounge, a dance floor and a small stage. This place clearly wants a large, dancing crowd to fill it, so it’s a bit unsettling to have a quiet lunch there. Nonetheless, the food is delicious.

These folks really know how to grill a kebab. The large chunks of meat (lamb, beef, chicken and pork) are marinated and then cooked to tender perfection, retaining their juiciness and unique flavors. My favorite was the beef but the chicken conveyed the fire-roasted flavor best.

With each entree comes a choice of rice or salad. The rice is fine but the salad is wonderful with its strips of deep green romaine lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes in an olive oil/lemon dressing.

In addition, one may choose two sides from their expansive cold mezze (appetizer) menu (excluding things containing meat or seafood).

The muhammara and ikra stood out to us, but all were very good. Their homemade muhammara is a beautiful umber-colored paste made from ground walnuts, onions and olives with special Armenian spices (I’m guessing paprika is one of them). The ikra, also known as eggplant caviar, looks similar but contains eggplant and has a sweeter, more roasted flavor.

Each plate comes with a complimentary flame-grilled tomato and green pepper. Their yogurt appetizers are a nice accompaniment to these vegetables. The jajek has yogurt mixed with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, mint and just a little garlic. Very cool and refreshing.

For a richer experience, try the lebneh. It’s like a dessert yogurt, similar to whipped cream or ricotta cheese, with a little mint and garlic in here too.