Kan Zeman–which means "once upon a time" in Hebrew and Arabic–in downtown Palo Alto offers exciting, flavorful victuals for a reasonable price.
The intriguing menu features traditional Middle-Eastern foods, though simpler, more commonplace dishes such as pasta and chicken are available for timid eaters. The staff is helpful and knowledgeable and respectful to teenagers, and the general ambiance is familiar, cheerful and exotic.

The place is decorated with almost-tacky painted pillars and paintings on wood. Enormous engraved brass plates adorn the walls, and black square tables with these same ornaments sunken into the table provide a beautifully foreign touch. The bathroom is clean and airy and painted a warm yellow, like the rest of the restaurant, and flaunts watercolor paintings of brightly white houses and beaches.

The hummus ($2.99), a smooth and creamy dip, complemented the side of pita bread ($2.50) perfectly. Both tasted fresh and homemade.

The falafel plate ($6.99); balls of lightly spiced, crispy falafel served on a bed of shredded lettuce and with a medley of colorful veggies, was also good, although the lettuce seemed wet, as though it had been rinsed but not drained.

The beef kebab ($8.99), served with flavored rice, hummus, and pita bread, suggested with its lemony flavor that it was marinated with some sort of citrus-based sauce with slightly spicy undertones.

The pasta chicken [dajaj] ($8.99) was a hearty dish with linguini and large chunks of moist, tangy chicken in a rich alfredo sauce. The sauce was creamy without being too heavy.

The shawerma wrap ($6.99) was a tortilla loaded with thin marinated slices of lamb and beef, broiled tomatoes, and onions. It was messy, satisfyingly large and came wrapped in foil. The meat was lemony, like the beef kebab, with a whisper of the same spice.

Our meal would not be complete, of course, without true Middle-Eastern desserts. The pistachio baklava ($2.50) was everything baklava should be; buttery, crispy layers of phyllo dough and coarsely chopped nuts in tangy-sweet syrup. The Turkish Delights ($3) came in a mix of three flavors but were less satisfactory. The licorice flavor was a dark green, with a taste strong and sharp and almost bitter in its sweetness. The cherry variety had a too-strong, over-sweet, artificial taste not unlike cough medicine. Rose, on the other hand, was delightfully sweet and rosily fragranced.

Our waitress was freckled and friendly and attended to us quickly, although she was slow to pick up the bill. She treated us like adults, and let us speak to the chef, Mario Romi, without much hesitation. He explained during the interview that the recipes were traditional Jordanian recipes, passed down for generations and captured in the four-year-old restaurant.

Kan Zeman is a cheerful and cozy Middle-Eastern restaurant offering interesting and unusual cuisine. With the ethnic diversity in the Bay Area, it seems natural that Palo Altans should have such interesting food from around the world.

Kan Zeman Restaurant ****
Style: Middle-Eastern
Entrees: $4.99-$14.99
274 University Ave Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 328-5245
Hours: Open 6 am-2 pm daily; 5-10 pm Tuesday-Sunday.
Parking: Try the public lot under City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave) entrance on Ramona or Bryant.
Belly dancing: Fri. and Sat. nights at 8:30 and 9:30