winesdines: Soro’s in Old Town Temecula – Come To Papa!

Waleed Joseph Soro brings a lifetime of experiences with him to Old Town Temecula. He joined his dad in the restaurant business in Baghdad, Iraq when he was thirteen years old. “Papa” is Syrian and speaks Aramaic (“the language Jesus spoke”) Arabic, some Spanish, French and Italian (“restaurant language”) as well as English. The first thing you’ll notice about Papa is his infectious laugh. “There is not one person that comes here I don’t shake their hand.” There are hugs and kisses for the women.

Papa has a story to tell, several of them in fact, and one day he will write a book. The story begins with his parents running from the mountains during wartime. It follows their move from Iraq to Syria to Lebanon. Papa applied to come to the United States in the 1970s when war erupted in Lebanon. He took sanctuary in Greece for eight and a half months enjoying “nothing but good times, but I couldn’t wait to come here. When I got here I kissed the ground, I swear you.” From New York he moved to Michigan where he became a state champion in ballroom dancing. One night a woman came into the club where he was dancing. He asked his waiter friend “Who’s that beautiful blonde over there? She looks like Marilyn Monroe. Take her a bottle of champagne and tell her it’s from me.” The attraction was mutual and instant and he and Sherry have been together ever since.

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Soro’s Mediterranean Grill is at 28464 Front Street in Old Town Temecula. (951) 587-8082.

From winesdines

Inland Restaurant Review: Soro's Mediterranean Grill

Well, for the last six months one establishment has been in the top five of all searches related to Taste of Temecula, and for the last two months has been the number one search...by a long shot!

Google does not lie, people are searching diligently for Soro's Mediterranean Grill, and our mission is to uncover why. We are especially curious as to what has changed in the last few months to make it the top-ranked search.

When I asked Dylan Soro about why his restaurant was scoring so high in the rankings his response was hardly self-effacing " When you eat here, you will know why." Well this Canadian loves a good challenge, and you Mr. Soro, you have thrown down the gauntlet. I'll leave my Chef whites at home, but I'll be wearing my most serious food-eating attitude. We can make this article short, and just say I was spanked.

Everything started quietly enough, I met Dylan Soro, and had a conversation with him about the growth of his business from a McDonalds to a BBQ shack, to a Mediterranean Restaurant. They started with Styrofoam plates, went to plastic, and to glass and finally, now they are concentrating on using whatever plate the food looks best on.

The culinary emphasis is based around the Mediterranean, although there is a brilliant play of spices going on there that had this Chef scratching his head on almost every other course. There is some love and some genius going on in the kitchen.

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Soro's is located in the old location of Lump'y BBQ, which itself has moved next to the new City Hall just down the road. While the location is the same, little of the former BBQ restaurant has remained, with Soro and Dylan exerting more influence every month transitioning this former fast-food meca to a fine dining establishment. In the ultimate showdown Soro challenged me to cook a 5 course dinner with him in the next month...I am certainly game, and it sounds like a lot of fun. Wine List Wine list was way beyond expectations, someone has spent a lot of time choosing here, and you will be pleasantly surprised.

When I go back, I know what I am going to order; "Soro cook for me", and then everything will be right in the world. Soro's Medterranean Grill is located at 28464 Old Town Front St. in Temecula. For information call (951) 587-8082.

By Taste of Temecula via InlandSocal.com
-- Article by Crispin Courtenay
-- Photos by Natalie Mills