Mama's Bakery & Lebanese Deli

Right off of El Cajon Boulevard, on Alabama Street lies Mama's.

Mama's serves up some very tasty food from this very humble store front. As you enter and stare up at the menu, you'll find the area very cramped, only two to three individuals can stand in this area at a time. So you place your order and wait either in the "dining area" or outside. The glass case that is the front counter displays the various pastries available, like baklava and other goodies. The dining area is one of a kind. You've heard of "white-wash", well this is "green wash". Looks like a bunch of friends got together and had a (more than a) few beers and went crazy with the paint brushes. It's basically a patio with dividers and canvas tarps attached to create "walls".

The main reason that Mama's holds a position on our "rotation" is the Garlic Chicken Wrap($4.99). The flatbread of the wrap is made fresh. When you order the dough is rolled and flattened to order, and placed on the "sajj" which is the bullet shaped oven-grill thing-a-majig, which cooks the bread and adds some nice crusty pieces. Then a generous amount of chicken breast, lettuce, pickles, parsley, and most importantly fresh garlic paste is added. Delici-yoso!!!! Here's a look inside. You can order an extra side of garlic paste for 50 cents.

We also ordered the Falafel Plate ($7.49). These falafel are made from both chickpeas and fava beans, and have a nice bit of spice. They are crunchy on the outside, somewhat grainy and gritty on the inside, with a nice nutty, savory flavor. If you like texture, you'll love a good, non-greasy falafel like this one.

The plate comes with 6 good size falafel, hummus, a green salad, pita bread and tahini. The dressing for the salad is nice and tangy with lot's herbs and very refreshing. Pita and hummus are done well. We usually don't use the tahini, though creamy, is very weak. Here's what my "perfect bite" of falafel looks like:

The falafel is nice and crunchy, slightly spicy, the hummus adds the nutty creamy flavor, and the pita, is well, starch, and everyone knows the bite ain't complete without starch.

On this trip we also ordered the Manakeesh Ultimate($3.99), which is a flatbread with a sumac, thyme, oregano, and olive oil spread, sesame seeds, tomatoes, olives, mint, and lebni, which I was told is like a yogurt-cream cheese:

This was a bit too sour, with too much going on. I'll stay with the Manakeesh Plus ($3.25) next time. Which is the sandwich minus the lebni; it has much more of a balanced taste.

If you're thinking this was alot of food, you're right, it was, though the Missus has been known to "knock-off" two Garlic Chicken Wraps in a single meal. We had enough food for dinner.

Some notes; only street parking is available, with limited seating and space. The service has always been efficient and nice. If you like people watching, this is an interesting place. On any given day you'll see Native Lebanese along with all the alternative lifestyles represented among the clientel. Hey Mama is an equal opportunity restaurant! And it's darn good!

Mama's Bakery & Lebanese Deli
4237 Alabama St.
San Diego, CA 92104

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Comments

[milgwimper]

Oh everything looks so good. I am so hungry! WOW. now I want Lebanese food. Do you think they deliver? :P

[Kirk]

Hi Milly - Remember how they tell you never to eat at a place called "Mom's", well this an exception to the rule.

[Jo]

hmmm... baklava? Did you try some of that? It sure does sound good, particularly the freshly made bread. Speaking of which, it seems to me I promised to make someone some fry bread didn't I?

[clare eats]

oh that looks good! mmm garlic paste.... mmm chicken mmmmmm felafel

[KIrk]

Hi Jo - We did try the baklava on one of our previous visits, let's just say we go to Mama's for the food, ok? And I think you promised somebody on Clare's site the fried bread.

Hi Clare - mmmm, mmmm. mmm-yoso!!! The food here is good!

[Annie]

looks good! i'll have to check out this place sometime -- always wanted to try a good falafel!

the painted interior is kinda funky!!

[milgwimper]

Kirk,

Ohhhh.. I am marking it as one of the places to go in San Diego!

[Kirk]

Hi Annie - This is a real local favorite, though not mainstream, alot of those "pierced & tatto'ed" love this place. It's got good well seasoned interesting food.

Hi Mills - You know, this is just a local hole-in-the-wall, but they do a great job, and you can watch them make your flatbread and put it on the "sajj".

[Jack]

I need to get this place in my "rotation"...I always forget about it. Boy does that look good.

[Kirk]

Hey Jack - Yes, it's easy to miss this place since it's on a side street. Unless you really go looking for the place you'll just pass it without noticing.

[Howie]

Ahh... I love Mama's. It's been a while since I've been there. I might swing by there tonight. Your picture of the Chicken Garlic Wrap is forcing me to go.

While we're on the subject of Middle Eastern food, have you tried Alborz on Del Mar Heights Rd? They have great kabobs... very flavorful and juicy, unlike a lot of shops around here. I also love their braised lamb shanks. It's been too long since I've been there too...

[Kirk]

Hi Howie - It's the garlic chicken wrap that keeps us coming back - though the Falafel is a close second. I've heard of Alborz, but have never been - I really don't know of very much North of Mira Mesa....hmmmm, need to start exploring!

[Reid]

Hi Kirk,

Delici-yoso is right. I love falafel, and I think those there are the largest that I've seen in a while!

That chicken wrap looks good too!

[Kirk]

Hi Reid - The falafel here are very tasty! And the garlic sandwich is what keeps us coming back.

[Jo]

Reid, you've got all the stuff to make some killer homemade falafel! If you need a recipe let me know. It's one of my favs.

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - I've heard Falafel is pretty easy to make, though most only use "chickpeas"...and I don't know if I want to eat that many Falafels - but hey, maybe there should be some falafels parties!!!!

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - BTW, homemade falafel sounds like a good post for you!!!!!

[Jo]

I like the all garbanzo falafel. I like the fava bean also. I do use canned beans so I can vary at will. The trick is to hand chop rather than process because that gets things TO fine and they don't cook nicely.

As for posting, I'm afraid I'll be scarce around here for a while as we get "organized". I'll be posting a full explanation as soon as possible though.

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - I hope everything falls into place!

[ChrisN]

My wife and I have been going to Mama's for years, and it is one of our favorite spots. They changed ownership last year, but seem to have kept the quality pretty good. Manakeesh ultimate with chicken is hard to beat. The spinach & cheese pies are damned fine as well.

[Kirk]

Hi ChrisN - I hadn't even noticed that Mama's had changed ownership. The food there is just as good as it was.

[ChrisN]

Yeah, the original owner (http://imagessd.citysearch.com/profile/72/5e/112668p1.jpg) sold it to a family friend (mild shock to the sons I assume) and moved back to Lebanon. They guy he sold it to seems to like all the same things, so they haven't changed anything more than the décor.

[Food Coma 911]

Yes, the cheese and spinach pies are toooo yummy!