Co-owners Fady Faltas and Hany Ghaly
Tucked in a little corner of the Millburn Mall (in the alley fronted by Subway on the left and Connect One Bank on the right), Porto Falafel is a hidden jewel of fresh, delicious Middle Eastern food.
However, if Porto Falafel is a secret now, it won’t be for long. Already locals are buzzing about the excellent food behind the modest storefront. Since opening last fall, Porto Falafel has been winning fans by word of mouth, but the plan is to start spreading the word louder and faster — and soon.
On a recent weekday, Village Green visited to enjoy baba ganoush, stuffed falafel sandwich and chicken shawerma. Everything tasted flavorful and freshly prepared — from the pita to the tangy yogurt dressing to the juicy and tender chicken strips marinated in mint and cumin. The roasted flavor of the eggplant fairly burst from the baba ganoush, making us scoop up every last bit. Our waiter (co-owner Fady Faltas) kept the hot tea coming in our own personal tea pot.
The menu is traditional and extensive (check it out online here) but also makes allowances for picky young eaters with mini-burgers, chicken fingers, pizza and macaroni and cheese options. The main menu features such dishes as hummus, salads, soups, lamb chops, musakaa, grilled quail, savory pies, meat sandwiches, vegetarian sandwiches and “Egyptian burritos.”
Co-owner Hany Ghaly told us that fine food isn’t all that Porto Falafel is doing well: Friday night diners enjoy live jazz and Saturdays feature belly dancers. When the weather turns fair, Ghaly said that Porto Falafel will take advantage of its wide alley plaza (removed from car fumes) and expand to outdoor dining.
“The food is very authentic, we’re not trying to Americanize it,” said Ghaly. “It is here as in Egypt.”
Ghaly and Faltas own the restaurant along with Hany Askander and Gabi Habib. All four men bring a personal knowledge of Middle Eastern cuisine to the business, with three hailing from Egypt and one from Syria.
Ghaly honed his restaurateur skills at King Falafel in Millburn, where he was owner, but moved to Millburn Mall because it was a “better location” with more space and more parking. Ghaly said that he and his partners are looking to expand to other locations.
Porto Falafel, Millburn Mall , 2933 Vauxhall Rd, Vauxhall, New Jersey • Tel: +1 908-964-4800. Dine-in, take-out, catering and delivery. Visit portofalafel.com.
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