When I read about Noor Mediterranean, I was part-intrigued, part-skeptical. Mediterranean menus have been popping up all over metro Phoenix. Sadly, the last few places that advertised themselves as such left me disappointed. Ultimately, professional and personal curiosity prevailed.
Reservations for indoor seating at Noor are hard to come by on weekends, so I settled for outdoors. Though I’d seen photos and videos on Instagram, I still didn’t quite know what to expect.
As the host walked my parents and me to our table, I could see the airy dining room, which opened onto the outdoor space, featuring modern decor — a mix of birch and walnut wood, greenery along with macrame and wicker chandeliers. The bartenders slung drinks at the indoor-outdoor bar. The room’s focal point, a hexagonal inlaid marble mosaic fountain, gently bubbled under a lit faux olive tree. A mural of a Syrian courtyard featured the same fountain in its center. Once seated, we spotted another fountain outside…