Shish kabob
My inner vegetarian was thrilled to see there is absolutely no meat served (with theexception of fish), even though I do eat it now every once in a while. The multi-page menu offers dishes of every kind including Cuban, Israeli, and Italian- all with meat substitutes. You could say the place is pretty plain-looking, considering how long its been there, and the staff seems to be just as matter-of-fact and upfront as the decor. After looking over the menu for about five or ten minutes, we finally decided on a shish kabob with cup of soup and falafel platter. What tasted like a vinegar-based coleslaw was served on the table, which was fresh and light.
The shish kabob was served with potato chips and a choice between two soups. Inside the shish kabob pita was tahini, Israeli salad (chopped cucumber, tomato, peppers, and onion) and “meat”. I chose the split pea which had bits of carrot and was hearty with a smokey flavor which was nice considering it wasnot ham-based. The falafel platter was served with pita, Israeli salad, tahini, french fries, and sauerkraut. The falafel was crunchy but soft in the middle, and the rest of the sides were probably what you’d expect from a place like this.
Falafel platter
All in all, nothing to really blow you out of the water, but an awesome place to know if you are vegetarian or veg-friendly. This is the place to go when you’re craving a meaty dish but you don’t eat meat, and more than likely they’ve got what you’re looking for.
My recommendations for the real deal: Sub the shish kabob for a gyro at Sahara on Hollywood Beach, and get your falafel platter at Exotic Bites off Harrison Street in Downtown Hollywood.
