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I’m never going to say that Kedzie Avenue has too many Middle Eastern restaurants, especially since some of the best are distinctive. The gritty, no-nonsense Salam has the best food on the street. Al-Khaymeih runs a close second–and you can take your mom and a bottle there. “Restaurant of restaurants” Mataam al-Mataam is open 24-7, and Semiramis has that powerful toum. So with the familiar menu of shawarma, kebabs, hummus, falafel, fattoush, etc, etc, what does the week-old Dawali have that’s going to draw customers farther north from the others? For one thing, every day the alluring aroma of baking bread blasts across the parking lot, issuing like a siren’s call from its next door neighbor, the grocery and bakery Pita House.
Yes, the bread comes from Pita House–one of the guys at the counter went over for a couple fresh bags during our meal, and again later for some spices. I’m not sold on Dawali yet, but it bears further investigation.
