
- Melissa Pasanen
- Falafel plate at Mr. Shawarma
Mr. Shawarma, as it is aptly (and not too originally) named, also offers other classics from the region, including chickpea falafel, freshly made hummus, tabbouleh and stuffed grape leaves.

- Melissa Pasanen
- Tabbouleh and hummus
Abdulkhaleq, who marks four years in Vermont at the end of this month, is the most recently arrived of the group. He is 28 and studying business at Community College of Vermont. "I couldn't go to school in Syria where we went when we had to leave Iraq," he said, "and when we moved here, I had to first learn English."

- Melissa Pasanen
- Sam (Usamah) Abdulkhaleq with a traditional dessert called kunefe
Among the dishes I have sampled on two visits, my favorite so far is the falafel plate, consisting of six large, crisp, well-seasoned falafel balls drizzled generously with tahini sauce. At $8.99, that also allowed me to add in an order of lemony, minty, rice-stuffed grape leaves for $2.99, or try the refreshing, salty yogurt drink ($1.99) from the cooler that Abdulkhaleq said was his favorite.
I also enjoyed the beef kebab sandwich ($7.99 when I was there, $5.99 on the current menu): pita tightly rolled around long, flat patties of spiced ground beef with some lamb mixed in, along with lettuce, tomato, pickles and tahini and garlic mayonnaise sauces. "At home, we make it with just lamb, but here people don't like that as much as beef," Abdulkhaleq said.
I liked it best when I deconstructed it so I could really taste the flavorful meat mixture, which had a whisper of grill on it. Now that the beef kebab plate is offered for $9.99, I'd recommend trying that and adding a side of labneh, the thickened, tart yogurt spread.
The restaurant's namesake shawarma, either beef or chicken, can also be ordered as a wrap sandwich. I will try one of those with the shrak, the thinner flatbread wrap option, next time I head there.
If dessert is your soft spot, I can highly recommend the small foil box of four different pieces of crisp, buttery, pistachio-dusted baklava for $4.99. (It isn't overly sweet.) I especially liked the long pieces with sweetened tahini filling.
With the new menu pricing, you can also pick any of the wraps and afford a main course, too — unless, of course, $12 is not your limit.
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