Food Truck Friday - Falafel Salam

There are a few trucks in Seattle offering up Middle Eastern favorites, one of which I visited for this week's Food Truck Friday: Falafel Salam.



On my inaugural visit, I went for their namesake Falafel, as part of the Middle Eastern Salad ($8). It was a big portion and the falefel were great. Not raw in the middle or overly fried. It was several weeks ago, and I honestly failed to write down much more detail. But hopefully the pictures help. I believe that's a tahini sauce on top.




This week, I returned and went for their pita sandwich, opting for the 'Purple Style' rather than 'House Style', and the Organic Chicken Shawarma, Spicy ($10). Purple Style includes purple cabbage slaw, tzatziki and creamy sheep milk feta, whereas the House Style includes 'Arab salad' (cucumber, tomato, cabbage, parsley, lemon), tahini, and a dash of pickled mango. It's all packed inside a homemade pita.

I took my lunch to the outdoor Van Vorst courtyard so my dog, Hilo, could get some outside time and sniff some random dogs and people. He ended up getting to meet a little girl, which he did in his usual fickle way (walk up, sniff, turn around and walk away - realizing they have no food - just as hands try to pet him). But it's great to see him so comfortable around people of all ages, given what a nervous boy he was 3 years ago. But I digress.



My first bites were super messy, and I'd foolishly only grabbed a single napkin. I was convinced that my beard was full of delicious, creamy feta mixed with tzatziki. The next bites were full of meat... lots of meat... moist meat with a decent amount of flavor to it. Initially, I balked to myself that the 'spicy' wasn't presenting itself, but then I realized their heat likely comes from cayenne... about the time the glow began in my mouth. Still not spicy by Thai, Indian, or Mexican standards, but enough to warm you up. After I chowed down on the meat, I came to a solid layer of slaw... still with about half the soft pita left. I diligently ate my vegetables, and was delighted to find another layer of meat below the slaw. Seriously.... MORE meat. And this meat had all the juices from the meat and slaw and was even more delicious. It might've also had more spice, but it was more likely the cumulative effect.



Falafel Salam is definitely a spot I'll return to, and one I'd recommend to friends. If I wasn't trying to re-lose 10 pounds I keep gaining back, I would've also tried the baklava. Maybe next time.