92 Mt. Auburn St. Cambridge; (617)491-3079
Tip-free
Across from the Garage Mall in Harvard Square, this basement spot is a fixture for good Middle Eastern food cheap; this is odd, since according to an article on the wall, the owners are from India. No matter.
The falafel is fresh and made with whole chick peas mixed into the filling, for a bit of crunch. You can get it in a pita sandwich for $2.95, including lettuce, tomato, cucumber, peppers, onions, and sauce. The dinner plate version is $4.95. Shish kebabs of lamb, chicken, or beef, are $3.75 for sandwiches and $5.75 for dinners.
The baked half-chicken dinner is marinated with raisins and mushrooms, and cooked until the meat falls off the bones. It’s served with rice pilaf, Greek salad, and bread, all for $6.25. Another big value is the maza combination plate for two ($13), with shawarma, beef kebabs, hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, rice and salad. It’s filling and healthy, with a vegetarian version for slightly less.
For dessert, Mine overheard someone saying that the baklava ($1.25) was the best he had ever tasted. Interestingly, the restaurant gives you a choice of table service or do-it-yourself counter service, allowing you to save an extra dollar or two. The table area at the back is nice and mellow, a rare commodity in this locale. Open 11 a m. to 11 p.m. daily.
