Sumac. We don’t taste enough of it in the United States. At some Middle Eastern restaurants, it’s provided in the same glass shakers that contain pepper flakes and Parmesan at Italian spots. My wish is that the deep red, tart spice were on tabletops everywhere. Ever thought a dish needed more acid? I do all the time, especially when I’m eating rich meat dishes. A lemon squeeze is great, but sumac can also be the answer.
Why do I bring this up? At Taza Falafel in Fairfax, it’s served with such a deft hand that it got me thinking. In particular, I savored it shaken liberally over my kebab sandwich. Taza, which is also a bakery, specializes in fluffy, diamond-shaped samoon bread that originates in Iraq. Instead of pita, I requested that my ground beef-and-lamb kebab be served on the more substantial samoon. With its charred exterior, the juicy kebab tastes just as I imagine it would on the streets of Baghdad. Crunchy vegetables and creamy tahini are important additions, but ultimately, it’s the sumac that lights up the whole combination.
Had there been a shaker on the table, I would have happily added a shower of the stuff to the combination shawarma bowl. Both the chicken and beef-and-lamb mix are carved to order from the rotating spits in the kitchen, but only the darker meat has the taste of the intense marination I crave. Still, I appreciated the zip of the pickled turnips on the accompanying salad. The cinnamon-scented rice beneath the meat contributes its own aromatic satisfaction, too. The ultra-smooth hummus is appealing enough to be a meal on its own.
But as much as I respected and enjoyed the shawarma, I couldn’t help but favor the kebab sandwich and that tangy smack of sumac. //11280 James Swart Cir., Fairfax
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