Tahini (Kearny Mesa)

mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog.  Cathy is writing today; Kirk and His Missus are on vacation.

Since October 2017, Tahini has been thriving in the small strip mall on Clairmont Mesa just East of the County Assessors Office.  The 'original' location is being reconstructed to open as Finjån (a Turkish/hot sand coffee shop) just next door to the newer, larger corner storefront.  Same owners. There is plenty of parking in front as well as behind the building. You step inside, walk up and order (there is also a Self-Service ordering kiosk in that far corner next to the cash register).  

The menu is simple. 
 Three types of 'main' dishes that you can personalize with three types of proteins and toppings.  There are also six 'appetizers'-which could be a primary meal, seven 'sides' and one dessert.  Everything is made to order; fresh pita is constantly cooling on racks near the entrance, fresh from the oven.
 'Halloumi Cheese Stix' appetizer ($9).  Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese with a high melting point, so it can be fried.  It is a goat and sheep's milk cheese, kind of tangy.     It's served on top of a wheat pita along with a fig jam and a cucumber-yogurt sauce.  Every element of this appetizer is fresh and flavorful. This is a half order of Tahini Fries ($5).  Crisp potato fries topped with tomato, red onion, red bell pepper, pepperoni, kalamata olives, feta cheese, garlic sauce and tahini sauce.  (The large size ($7) is more than enough for sharing).
 This is a side order of Cumato Salad ($3).  Cucumbers and tomatoes, diced and mixed with an olive oil based dressing, topped with feta.  Refreshing.  (The Cumato Salad appetizer is $6). 

The "Build Your Own" menu consists of three choices: Pita Sandwich, Salad or Rice Bowl.  There are three choices of protein: falafel (made when you order), chicken shawarma or steak shawarma.  The chicken is marinated with 10+ ingredients and the beef is certified Angus, also marinated with 10+ ingredients. 
 This is the chicken shawarma salad ($12.50-salad, $9.50, add chicken $3), customized with add ons and topped with garlic sauce and tahini sauce.  

Choices of add ons: lettuce, tomato, pickles, pickled turnips, cheese, parsley mix, bell pepper, kalamata olives, pepperocini.  (Feta cheese is 50¢ as are toasted almonds). 

Housemade sauces: tahini, garlic, BBQ tahini, Sriracha tahini, cilantro tahini, cucumber yogurt.  

Plenty of moist, marinated, roasted chicken; plenty of all the other ingredients.  Fresh, flavorful, wonderful. 
 The steak salad ($12.50) had a generous portion of the marinated steak as well as all the other ingredients.
 This time, asking for the sauce on the side was a way to try the BBQ tahini (it was subtle; you could still make out the sesame base) as well as our 'must have', the whipped garlic sauce.  Again, a wonderful, filling, tasty salad.  
A falafel sandwich ($9- pita sandwich is $8, falafel is $1) comes with five fresh made falafel, your choice of add ons and sauce.  These are fava bean based falafel, mixed with fresh herbs and subtle spices and perfectly fried so the exterior 'crust' is a light crisp and the interior is fluffy.

Owned by American and Arab friends with immigrants, refugees, butchers and bakers as employees, made it through Covid-19.  A great place to enjoy Middle Eastern Street Food. 

Soo and Maggie have been here.

Tahini 9119 Clairmont Mesa Blvd, Suite H San Diego 92123 Open Mon-Sat 11-8, Sun 11-7 Website

 Trays of fresh pita cooling.

Comments

[Dereck]

I'm a fan of Tahini. Good falafel is very hard to find in San Diego and they are one of the best with their rather unique mix. The halloumi stix might vary as last time I had them they weren't great.

[Cathy]

I agree with you, Dereck, the falafel here are in my top two in San Diego County. We've been frying halloumi at home for years now and I wanted to see a different method; I think the cut/thickness matters.

[Soo]

Thanks for the link! Next visit I want to try the fries with steak shawarma.

[kat]

everything looked refreshing and tasty!

[Cathy]

The Tahini fries with the steak shawarma sounds great, Soo. So many possibilities with the menu basics.

Very fresh and so much flavor, Kat. We like it here.

[caninecologne]

The fried cheese sticks look interesting. Not sure if I would like it since you mention it is goat and sheep's milk (not a goat cheese fan) but am willing to give it a shot as long as my husband or daughter eats the rest, ha ha. As always, I enjoy your food forays.

[Cathy]

First saw Halloumi mentioned on a Martha Stewart TV show, so long ago, cc- (she simply pan fried it after slicing into matchsticks). We have purchased blocks of the cheese ever since and this was the first place I ever saw it on a menu; wanted to see if there was a different way to do it. Everything on the Tahini menu is so tasty and so fresh; definitely go with someone so you can share and try more of the menu.