That's My Queue

Lining up for the good stuff at Hamifgash

by Elisa Ludwig

Walk by the Kosher-Israeli-Turkish-vegetarian restaurant Hamifgash and the studio-lit window photos of glistening hamburgers and moussaka might not lure you in. (It's probably better not to get your heart set on the moussaka, anyway, since it's not actually on the menu.) A glimpse inside reveals a pleasant, if very basic, setup: an open stainless steel kitchen, black tables, faux-marble countertops, melon-colored walls, a register area with a glatt kosher certification letter taped to the front. It's all very sensible, designed for a quick, no-nonsense meal.

Yet the droves of people lined up here on any given weekday know there's treasure in them thar falafel fryers: flattened mounds of parsley-flecked chickpeas gone crisp and dark and dry in their olive oil bath, served with a bright, velvety tahini sauce. In true Israeli fashion, there's also a plexi-ed salad bar with heaps of crispy vegetables, some pickled and some mayo-ed, for embellishment.

The $9.95 salad platter is a feast on its own, with scoops of silky hummus; creamy babaganoush; matbukha, the puréed tomato and pepper salad with a peppery bite; charred eggplant salad with grill-softened green and red peppers; and brilliant green fava bean hummus sprinkled with chopped chives. Dip in with hunks of sesame-seeded, egg-washed bread, dense and brown as a soft pretzel.

In between minding the fry baskets and taking orders, a tan, husky-voiced woman with snazzy glasses will assemble your grill platters with customary white rice studded with peas and a simple shredded iceberg salad lightly dressed with lemon and olive oil. Meats include chicken shawarma, shaved from a glistening spit behind the counter, smoky and rich enough to be an ample substitute for pork. There are tender chunks of beef and chicken breast, grilled kabob-style, chopped lamb infused with garlic and parsley and multiple combinations thereof.

Perfectly seasoned chicken schnitzel with a delicate breadcrumb crust is tucked into a soft white pita envelope with shredded lettuce and a tahini slather. There's also the rare treat of lahmacun, or Turkish pizza with ground meat and chopped vegetables, although right now it is served sporadically due to the hot weather.

Desserts include traditional pastries arrayed in another plexi box —ma'amul, semolina domes filled with chopped dates and walnuts that come two to an order, taste like the Mediterranean wrapped in pastry. Hamifgash's proprietress will gladly wrap some up to go — even though the line at the front is growing longer by the minute.

(e_ludwig@citypaper.net)

Hamifgash | 811-13 Sansom St., 215-925-3550 | Hours: Sun.-Thu., 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.; Fri., 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; closed Sat. | Appetizers, $3-$9.95; Entrées, $6-$18.95 | Cash only