Dawali Mediterranean Kitchen, 1625 N. Halsted, has a welcoming, very casual atmosphere. The hostess was seemingly under a lot of pressure at one point, having to tend to several tables, but was cheerful the whole time.
As for the food, Metromix Chicago voted the falafel the best in 2009—and it’s easy to see why. The chickpea fritters were certainly fried to perfection. I had the chicken shawerma sandwich—and it’s one of the best sandwiches I’ve had so far this year. Be sure to add the hummus for an extra treat. (The beef shawerma is even better.)
However, there are plenty of dishes to order—and it seems that there isn’t a bad one in the lot. Entrees include shish kabobs, lamb shank, pan-seared salmon; there are event spinach, lamb and jiben (haloumi cheese with a touch of mint) bread pies.
You know that phrase “You get what you pay for?” That’s not the case here. The food is certainly affordable—but the quality exceeds the prices, by far.
www.dawalikitchen.com