At Main Street Deli in Sebastopol, owner Samir Qawasmi is rightfully proud of his Middle Eastern specialties.
It’s boggling how much deliciousness he crams into the tiny space tucked in an easy-to-miss spot along downtown’s central strip, from the entrees listed on the handwritten chalkboard menu, to the display case of fresh salads, to the countertop laden with homemade desserts.
Not enough for you? Then check out the grocery shelves stocked with uncommon stuff like wild pickled cucumbers, soy milk, Pomegranate molasses, crackers and canned fish. If it’s not there, you don’t need it.
Naturally, with so much going on inside, diners are relegated to mostly outside, choosing from a smattering of tables in the parking lot. Lack of seating is a small price to pay for such great food that rings in for mostly around $5.99.
While he’s taken some liberty with recipes, going for a quasi California-International bent alongside his Mediterranean staples, there’s no mistaking the ample dose of love in each dish.
Ok, so a smoked turkey and pesto wrap with provolone is decidedly Golden State, while a pastrami and melted Swiss panini is more East Coast. The big salads hint of a Seinfeld episode, laden with every ingredient you could imagine.
Yet Qawasmi also offers achingly authentic daily specials like Lebanese meatballs with hummus, tahini and a healthy splash of shatta, a Jordanian hot pepper sauce. Wrap yours in a pita, which is more bread-y than fluffy, like it’s somehow been genetically crossed with a tortilla.
Gyros are particularly tasty, the meat kind of thick and chewy in the good Greek way, and for a few pennies more, Qawasmi will plump up your bundle with chunks of tangy feta.
He may toss you a freebie sesame candy from the jar he keeps on the counter, too, but don’t skimp on dessert – baklava melts in your mouth.
And here’s the most delicious secret of all: you must, simply must, pluck a yogurt drink from the beverage cooler. Shake it up, then dress it up with fresh mint plucked from Qawasmi’s personal garden out front.
Details: Main Street Deli, 280 S. Main St., Sebastopol; 707-824-0700.
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