I was feeling a might peckish, so I was walking through the streets of East Jerusalem one day, the restaurant in my “fabulous” hotel was closed for some reason.
I was in search of street food when I came across a cart selling what appeared to be, tubes of foil. I inquired, ?? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ? . To which the affable vendor replied: ??????? ???????!
OK, neither of us spoke Arabic, I mean at that point in time. He told me they were “Turkish Pizzas” and he unrolled the foil to reveal a six inch or so round disk, covered from stem to stern with some meaty goodness. I took two. Delicious. I’ve since had them in Amsterdam and Portland, Oregon, and on occasion, look for them wherever I happen to be.
This day I was on Milwaukee Avenue in Niles, Il, a NW suburb of Chicago. This stretch of Milwaukee is an “ethnic” grocer wonderland, not sure how it ended up this way, but there are serious Polish butchers, Asian Hypermarts, Iranian and Turkish eateries and food shops, a Greek or two, some Mexican for good measure. I love going over there and hate it. I never have a big enough budget (tho most everything is dirt cheap, or enough coolers if I have a drive in front of me.
I digress. I had made my way through an Iranian food shop (oh my, what a selection of olives, and I had gone there specifically in search of the “Turkish Pizza.” I was thinking frozen product, which I have also seen before, but he had some delivered fresh from some other local guy. They suggested if I wanted to eat one on the spot, to stop in next door at the Detroit Kabob House.
I know, I know, you’re thinking “what does ‘Detroit’ have to do with kabobs? Well, if you don’t know, the Detroit metropolitan area has the single largest concentration of Arab residents in the US. Around 300,000. (And ooh baby, there are some good eats over there, too!).
Anyhow, I wandered into “Detroit” which is a combination of masterful baked goods as well as a cafe. (Menu below). Picked up some sweets, but also a few of the pizzas, some with meat (beef and spices he said) and some just herbs. He popped them into the pizza oven for a quick jolt, and onto the counter on a paper plate.
Delish. BTW? I put “Turkish” in quotes because apparently the item is called by different names depending on where you’re standing at the time. That’s all.
I love the looks of the menu and will go back just for meal.
Meat pie pictured below. Detroit is open 11-9 Monday thru Saturday and until 8PM Sunday.
Detroit Kabob House Review
Detroit Kabob House Review