Shawarma House -- Garden Grove, CA (Mediterranean cuisine)

There are very few casual dining establishments that leave this type of impression on me. This one, located at 12531 South Harbor Blvd, is one of those places. Do not expect any level of atmosphere or charm. This is a bare-bones restaurant that slings amazing food over a counter and without flair. But after I took my first bite, the flavors and textures left me immediately trying to figure out how to come back for another meal. 

A bonus tip worth mentioning, is to walk two doors down this tiny strip mall and visit the Jerusalem Roastery, possibly owned and operated by the same family. https://www.jerusalemroastery.com/

https://ordershawarmahouse.com/

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

Falafel. Fried to order, these bite-sized morsels were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The herbs and spices were fragrant and the last bite left me wanting more. 

Kuba. My original order did not include these, but the kitchen made a minor mistake and fried up some of these for me as an apology. What a great way to try something different. These were seasoned ground beef and almonds, encased in a thin pocket of bulgur wheat and deep fried. The meat was moist, the almonds gave a nice texture and the warm spices of clove and Baharat left a sweet aroma on my palate. Absolutely delightful. 

Cheese Sambousek. These rolls of puff pastry were stuffed with cheese and then deep fried. The cheese encased in the shatteringly crispy pastry was mixed with some of their pickled chilis and had a fantastic mix of stretchy cheesy goodness along with a bit of heat and acid. I could have just had these for my meal. 

Beef Shawarma Wrap. Finely chopped seasoned meat were encased in their house made flatbread and crisped on the grill. The only other additions were a few of their cucumber pickles. A simple, but superb execution of tender meat in a hand-held form. Perfect for on-the-go lunching or snacking. The house made sides of mild chili sauce and toum paired very nice with this wrap. 

Chicken Shawarma Wrap. Anther delicious variation of their wrap options. This was moist chicken, cucumber pickles and some of their fantastic toum, with more on the side. I would skip the fries next time, but go heavy on the toum. 

Kunafa. From the Jerusalem Roastery, this was one of my favorite versions of this dessert. The finely chopped pistachio topping was crispy, and the cheese on the bottom had just enough salty gooey-ness to balance the not-too-sweet sweetness of the drizzle of infused honey syrup. The extra sprinkle of larger pistachios were a nice finish.

If in the area again, I would make a beeline to this place for, at least, two meals or some take away items. I hope these two businesses thrive so I can enjoy them again during my next visit.