Most restaurants with nine TVs and 16 beer taps serve greasy junk that plays second fiddle to the sports and suds. But Dish N Dash’s newly opened North San Jose spot zags away from the traditional game day/happy hour fare by providing a lip-smacking array of Middle Eastern classics. The sizable restaurant—part of a small chain with locations in Sunnyvale, Fremont and Milpitas—sits just down the street from the campuses of tech giants like Samsung and Paypal.

For starters, I went with the Lamb and Beef Sliders ($8). Combining the two meats brought out each’s strengths—the beef providing a satisfying base for the pleasantly gamey lamb. Held between grilled flatbread, the sliders came accessorized with onions, tomatoes, mint and feta cheese crumbles.

In a twist on a sports bar classic, the Cauliflower Buffalo Wings ($7) comprised one hell of a simulation. Broccoli’s fancy cousin got fried crispy, then doused in a buttery hot sauce speckled with Mediterranean spices. For dipping, they paired a rich, tangy sauce that I pegged as a combination of tzatziki and blue cheese dressing. These complex flavor partners gelled harmoniously, then mingled with the soft, sweet center of the white veggie—which is just a fancy way of saying it was really good.

Their Chicken Shawarma wrap ($11) featured tiny poultry cubes drizzled with a garlicky yogurt and accompanied by cool cucumbers, crisp cabbage and briny pickles to provide some crunch and freshness. I took half of it to go, and it held up just fine when I chowed down a couple hours later.

One of their specialties, Tabsi with Falafel ($13) would have reminded me of home if my parents had been more skilled preparers of this cuisine. A hearty curry featuring eggplant, peppers and garlic smothered the light and tasty fried garbanzo balls which had an extra bit of roasty crunch due to a sprinkling of sesame seeds. On the side, I went with freekeh, a plump grain with smoky notes and consistency somewhat similar to couscous. In a humbly ritzy touch, it came topped with roasted almond slivers.

Another tempting specialty was Mansaf ($17), tender lamb simmered for hours in aged yogurt. And they’ve got Baklava topped with orange blossom honey ($6) for dessert. They serve craft beer from as close as San Francisco (KSA Kolsch by Fort Point Beer Co.) and as far away as München, Germany (Hefe-Weisse Dunkelweizen by Franziskaner). For the health conscious, they’ve got fresh squeezed juices like Fields of Green ($5.50), which features kale, parsley, celery, apple, lemon, cucumber and ginger. For those who like beer and sports without the grease, Dish N Dash is hard to beat.

Dish N Dash 
2551 N First St, San Jose.
408.577.1995.