"I haven't heard of you, I can smell you," said the only other customer in the small rotisserie. He was responding to a curious employee. He was standing behind a glass counter full of metal skewers of raw ribs, ground beef Kubide, and spiced chicken thighs. Each one is marked with a specific cooking time. "Every time I drive by, I will smell smoke, which makes me very hungry," he said enthusiastically.  

My nose also smelled the smell of meat billowing from the building to the Mexican food corridor on 16th Street. It came from a small room at the back of the space, where Tony Chilingaryan grilled skewers with legume charcoal. 

When it was my turn to order, the staff asked the same question: "How did you hear about us?"

I told him that I saw pictures of Kabob Grill N'Go on social media, often accompanied by high praise for his huge kebabs. Most of the posts are photos of silver takeaway containers overhead with hearty meat and grilled vegetables, and basmati rice on top.

Former Arizona Republic food critic Dominic Armato (Dominic Armato) is also a fan. He visited this place a week after Chilingaryan and his wife Hasmik opened in May 2020. Now, after a year and a half of operation, this restaurant will only get better. 

Considering its popularity, I am surprised that the restaurant is so small. A closet-sized room with children's paintings on the walls, mainly in the corridor and a small refrigerator selling canned Hawaiian punches. I had to walk behind the counter so that the cashier could use my credit card. The only place I could eat was a small table in front of the parking lot overlooking the camel mural and magic carpet on the side of the Lebanese market. 

The size of the food that came out was so amazing, I couldn't even put it on the table. Two combination plates are placed in a tin self-serve pot, you can use it to cook turkey. On a bed of hearty basmati rice, lay the largest and most decadent kebab I have ever seen. Three ribs with ribs, marinated chicken thighs and steaks are layered with a row of contrasting roma tomatoes and whole Anaheim peppers, and the crispy skin is separated from the soft meat. 

It was a feast, but it wouldn't be complete without something I picked up from next door.

More first bites: These Chihuahua-style burritos on Grand Avenue 

Kabob Grill N'Go doesn't actually serve bread, so the cashier encouraged me to get some from the neighboring Lebanese restaurant Middle Eastern bakery and deli. (Together with Nino’s Greek coffee shop, these three companies formed a small West Asian enclave in a community dominated by Mexican restaurants.)

This colorful bakery serves a variety of freshly baked pita breads, either original, mixed with cake-like za'atar spices, or baked with feta cheese. I bought some regular pita breads, a plastic jar of fruity homemade Chilean oil and some radishes marinated in beet juice, which made my meat plate a bit irritating. 

I don't mind detouring because Kabob Grill N'Go is laser focused on the meat and it shows. 

Comment: This Mexican restaurant is ambitious and interesting-if you know something

Chilingaryan’s kebabs are different from other kebabs you might have tried in Middle Eastern or Persian restaurants. His recipes and marinades are based on his growing up in Los Angeles, his family’s Persian ancestry and his wife’s Armenian background.

Hasmik is from Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. The city is predominantly Christian. This is why you will see pork on the menu. It is one of their most popular sellers. 

Where I eat now: Pulled pork, handmade pasta and crispy duck in Phoenix

Steak, or barg in Iran, is made with Brazilian cut Angus beef. Although it is slightly higher than my favorite half-cooked beef, it is still juicy and delicious, wrapped in pita bread and topped with Chilingaryan homemade chimichurri sauce.  

Marinating chicken thighs in a creamy mixture is the chef’s secret recipe. It tastes like Chilean spice yogurt, but Hasmick assured me that there is no yogurt. Squeezed together to form a long string of chicken, the thighs are juicy and soft.

But my favorite is the ribs, which were burnt when they first arrived and still stuck to the bones. I had to grit my teeth and tear off the thick fragments. It is an immersive experience, leaving the lingering taste of smoked meat. 

The best part of a meal like this is mixing and matching. Each bite is a little different-chicken and some soft green peppers are placed on a pita, with a thick bite of tzatziki, a bite of crunchy ribs and a spoonful of lime juice, a lime salad of chopped cucumber and tomatoes.

In the end, there was a lot of rice left, but the meat was gone. I might take the whole thing away next time, but there are also some very satisfying things about having a meat platter in the parking lot, just a few steps away from the grill.

Location: 3050 N. 16th St., Phoenix. 

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 11 am to 7 pm or until the kebabs are sold out. Closed on Sunday and Monday.   

Price: $16.99 to $21.99 combo plate with rice, Shiraz salad, grilled vegetables and various dipping sauces. The package is $8.99 to $14.99. 

Details: 602-607-5272, kabobgrillngo.com.

Contact reporter Andi Berlin at amberlin@azcentral.com or 602-444-8533. Follow her on Facebook @andiberlin, Instagram @andiberlin or Twitter @andiberlin. 

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