There used to be an Arzi’s right off campus at LSU on the corner of Chimes and Lake Streets. And there was an Arzi’s we used to hit at Nicholson and Lee. Lot of good times had at both places, but there might not be any place as old Baton Rouge feeling as the Arzi’s on Government, except maybe Roman’s just across the street, or Fleur de Lis just down the street. The food is all good. They do a great fried haloumi, and I really like the feta dinner salad that comes with almost everything. The rice pilaf is crisp and clean, the hummus exactly what you hope for, and they always offer me a Lebanese tea to go when I’ve finished and paid.
If you’ve got time at lunch, you should try the lamb kabob because they execute it so well. It does take a little more time than a shawarma plate though. And if you need to go meatless, this is a great place to do it. The fried haloumi, the falafel, baba ganouch, cabbage roll, spinach pies–you won’t even realize you’ve gone veggie. But I do love sitting in the exotically decorated dining room at lunch time with the sun glinting off the windshields of cars and trucks in the parking lot and the bank windows across the street and even though the view is all concrete and cars, it has that flavor of the Baton Rouge you grew up in, makes you remember Godchaux’s and Piccadilly and shopping for Christmas trees at Memorial Stadium. Don’t know why that’s so, but don’t care much. Love to sit in the light and sip the Lebanese tea and play with my phone at lunchtime.
