Saturday Night At Karoun
A few Saturdays ago, we had a night out on the town to celebrate a friend’s birthday. It was a night filled with artistic expression and living outside the comfy box. First, we got some painting lessons from The Paint Bar and created some presentable artwork to hang on the wall. Then, we walked down the street to Karoun Restaurant for some additional drinks, appetizers and belly dancing.
No – we weren’t getting belly lessons too. Karoun is an Armenian restaurant that opens up its large dance floor on Friday and Saturday nights to live belly dancing performances followed by energetic dancing by diners drawn in by the house band’s international beats. We were lucky to witness a performance by Melina – belly dancer extraordinaire – who incorporates swords, snakes and candles into her routine.
The décor is unmistakably Middle Eastern and the atmosphere reminded me of The Sopranos, except instead of a strip club filled with Italians it was a restaurant filled with Armenian families of all ages delighting in flirtatious but fully clothed belly dancing. Melina captured everyone’s attention with her costumes, wiggly hips and the obscure talent of balancing a sword on a dagger held in her mouth. She also balanced a tray of glowing candles on her head while making the rounds on the floor. The snake was of the fake variety, charmed out of a basket containing her swords and other implements of entertainment.
In the end, she made it rain. Dollars. Bills were tossed in the air around her and at her feet by young children, beautiful ladies, kindly grandparents and bachelors sucking in their own bellies to look more enticing to the lovely Melina. When the show ended and she had encouraged enough patrons to join her on the dance floor, I pulled myself away and back to the bar where our friends more interested in playoff football than a beautiful belly dancer were gnoshing on a sampler plate of Meze-Appetizers.
Middle Eastern Spreads
I have no idea what Middle Eastern specialties were on these platters. Baba Gannoush, Grapeleaves, Mouhamara or Spinach Borek perhaps? Hommos, Basturma or even Smoked Salmon? All were on the menu. Things were a little fuzzy, what with the adult beverages consumed in honor of our friend’s birthday milestone, our excitement about our newfound talent for creating masterpiece artwork and a dizzying belly dancer filling our memories instead.
I did run into someone there from a former office job who told me he lives locally and dines here often. The patrons of a large celebratory party in attendance that I spoke to were proud to applaud Karoun’s dishes as well. We didn’t have reservations for a table and the place was hopping so the appetizers at the bar were all that my group sampled. Everyone thought they were terrific too. We were smart enough to realize our bellies were better served being filled with Middle Eastern spreads, leaving all belly dancing to the magnificent Melina.
Karoun Restaurant
839 Washington Street (at the corner of Walnut)
Newton, MA 02460
(617) 964-3400
www.karoundining.com
Post by and photos credited to Molly G.
Find out what Molly is doing when she’s not eating @ The Bumbles Blog.
