American Falafel opens on the Delmar Loop
Owner Moh Qadadeh serves up fresh Mediterranean fare created from family recipes.

Photo by Ann Lemons Pollack
American Falafel opened last weekend at 6314 Delmar on the Delmar Loop. Owner Moh Qadadeh, whose family roots are in Jordan, serves up fresh Mediterranean fare created from family recipes and prepared by a chef who previously worked at a high-end hotel in Amman, Jordan’s capital.
Besides the namesake dish (served as a sandwich or appetizer-size bites), the relatively short menu includes such crowd favorites as shawarma (steak and chicken), hummus, and baba ganoush, as well as a chicken sumac sandwich, Steak Galaya, and vegetarian options, including fattoush and tabbouleh salads.
On our visit, the falafel was served in a wrap, rather than the customary, oft-overflowing split pita, making it far easier to eat. The dish arrived with tahini sauce and extra vegetables. Fattoush, vegetable salad with pieces of crisped-up pita, wears a dressing that sparkles with sumac, its tartness offset by a touch of pomegranate molasses. Vegetarian options, such as a grilled halloumi cheese sandwich, add possibilities.
A relatively large kitchen is on display in the airy, modern storefront, which includes a wall of Mediterranean blue and, currently, a few carefully spaced tables and chairs. All food is packaged in single-use containers, and menus can be pulled up on cells phones via a QR code displayed in the window—one more modern touch in a Mediterranean restaurant serving traditional fare.

Photo by Ann Lemons Pollack