Salaam be with you

Brothers Adnan and Mohammed Abu Hamad, seated in front of their indoor waterfall, serve up great food and friendly smiles at Salaam.

Middle-Eastern market and eatery dishes delicious dining experience

by René Welling

published January 31st 2007

You may remember the spot as Lark’s Grocery. More recently, it was a convenience store. Today, in the building at 2006 Glendale Ave. (across from Wixey Bakery), lives Salaam, a family run Middle-Eastern restaurant/bakery/pizzeria/market that offers more than your average dining experience.

Driving by reveals the outdoor café like interior that brothers Adnan and Mohammed Abu Hamad diligently remodeled during the last two years. The dining area features a trickling waterfall that transports you from the everyday hustle and bustle as you settle into the comfortable, spacious seating to relax.

Once inside, you’ll notice that just past the booths and tables, through the lattice-work archway, awaits a market and so much more. Salaam (Arabic for ‘peace’) carries a variety of dried and canned fava beans, lentils and chickpeas, plus a terrific tahini selection. We found loose spices and an olive bar with everything priced way below those of large grocery store conglomerates. The brothers retained the coolers from their former convenience store to offer bottled drinks to pair with the items offered at the steam table for a quick carryout meal. Coffee beans are available with a grinder onsite, as are smoothies and Turkish coffee. They’ve built an oven for baking meat pies and bread on site.

Besides Mediterranean cooking in-gredients, the store sells produce, soup mix-es, snacks and cookies, as well as cleaning pro-ducts and other household items.

Salaam’s Pizzeria offers many specialty pizzas, including our favorite, the Salaam Mediterranean, as well as many standards with any topping you’d like. The soft medium-thick crust compliments the delicious fresh ingredients. No need for grease dabbing at Salaam. Pick up a large one-topping with cheese for $5.99 or two mediums with one topping and cheese for $9.99. Subs are available and in the near future Adnan and Mohammed hope to have gyros as well as delivery. A full pizzeria menu is in the works.

Our fried kibbee stuffed with lamb and onions ($7.95) was served golden brown, piping hot and with a side of tangy yogurt. We feasted on the shish combo for two Entrée ($22.95), served with two kabobs, two chicken tawooks and two kaftas. All entrees come with soup or salad and a choice of rice, hummus, baba ghannouj or fries. We chose the lentil soup and hummus that was made with ingredients available in the market. The impressive entree was served with chicken so tender and juicy you can forget your knife, and the lamb had just the right amount of seasoning. Needless to say, we certainly had enough for lunch the next day.

Salaam boasts a large menu with more than 20 sandwiches and 14 entrees and covers a wide spectrum, including seafood and vegetarian options. Adnan spent four months in his homeland of Jordan creating and perfecting the recipes to be served in this restaurant that they hope to pass onto their children in years to come. MarHaba (welcome) Mohammed and Adnan; our taste buds have been waiting for you.

Salaam Restaurant
Bakery, Pizzeria, and Market
2006 Glendale Ave.
(across the road from Wixey Bakery)

Ph: 419-381-7998
Sun-Sat: 10 am-10 pm.
Closed Fridays: 1-4 pm