Rotissserie chicken was a big trend during the 80s and 90s but, let's face it, most came across as either too greasy or dried out. It was definitely fowl, either way.
The Ararat Restaurant in Watertown, Mass., however, offered a superior version of rotisserie chicken at its former humble mom and pop storefront on Arlington St. Owners and husband and wife, Seta and Avedis Najarian came up with this one-of-a-kind barbecue-meets-Middle-Eastern-style chicken that yieled a tender, flavorful taste with a hint of lemon in every bite. The chicken was never greasy nor dried out and a serving of accompanying homemade garlic sauce and hummus helped elevate this meal to the greatest chicken dish I have every tasted. No sorbitol, MSG and other bad chemicals in this chicken!
When working at the U.S. Army Materials Command and then Army Research Lab down the road, I would frequently come here for lunch. Seta and Avedis were so nice and always made me feel at home. They had tremendous work ethic and offered good value for the money. It was a pleasure to support this business. That the food was homemade and delicious made the experience that much better.
The Ararat served some great falafels, shawerma, losh kebab, lahmejune and kibbe and other Middle Eastern dishes but I will always remember that amazing rotisserie chicken. I hope someday someone can duplicate that dish but, so far, no luck.
On a side note, I once saw former WBZ-TV Channel 4 meteorologist Bruce Schwoegler order some take home food here. He was extrmely pleasant to all and very excited about his impending dinner!
Out of all the Old School Boston places, I think I miss the Ararat the most. They were the nicest owners I had ever met and served my favorite dish of all time, anywhere, with that wonderful chicken meal.
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