A new restaurant near west Fort Worth serves tacos and burritos — Mediterranean-style
Turkey shawarma was a Thanksgiving Day hit.
So the new Galilee Falafel & Shawarma will open Christmas Day and serve it again, along with its menu of “Middle Eastern food American-style.”
Galilee is a fast-food takeout shop serving Mediterranean cooking with a simplified menu.
For example, there’s a choice of grilled chicken or beef, shawarma or falafel.
But that’s served with vegetables as a “bowl,” or atop a salad, or wrapped in pita or — yes — a flour tortilla.
Galilee, 6116 Lake Worth Blvd. (on Jacksboro Highway near Roberts Cut Off Road), doesn’t use the word “burrito” or “wrap.” But that’s what it is.
“It’s been really funny,” said Khalid Daibes, a former cook in a popular Minneapolis falafel chain
“All the Americans who come in looking for Middle Eastern food, they want it wrapped in pita, original style,” he said. “But all the young people who have had Middle Eastern food their whole lives — they want it in a tortilla for something different.”
Open six weeks, Galilee has made a quick reputation for inexpensive, healthy Mediterranean dishes and sides.
Falafel is made from Daibes’ special recipe. The baba ghanouj is a standout.
The most expensive item on the menu is a $12.99 beef or chicken bowl with vegetables and a choice of sauces. Beef, chicken kabob or shawarma pitas or burrito/wraps are about $10-$11, or $13-$14 with fries or a side and drink.
The turkey shawarma was a Thanksgiving special, but Daibes said he’ll repeat it.
“Overseas, they love turkey shawarma, and people here haven’t tried it,” he said.
He described Galilee as offering “flavors from back home on a menu with lots of choices.”
“This area has not had very good Middle Eastern food,” he said.
“The soldiers here who served in the Middle East, they come in and say ‘This is legit.’ “
There’s a $5.99 kids’ menu with chicken tenders (“schnitzel”), shawarma or a halal hot dog, all with sides and a drink.
Daibes’ wife, Eman Hamod, bakes the desserts.
The highlight is a fluffy cheesecake with crushed Biscoff cookie crust, or there’s warbat, a cream-filled baklava.
Galilee is open for lunch and dinner daily. The shop is just off Texas 199 at Azle Way, near a Whataburger between Roberts Cut Off Road and Loop 820; 817-585-1167, facebook.com/GalileeLakeworth.
This story was originally published November 28, 2022 at 5:30 AM.
