The quiet opening of Wally’s Falafel and Hummus went by unnoticed, even to those who live in Dinkytown. But the restaurant’s manager, Bader Jaber, says he is taking things slowly and is in no rush to publicize the joint by plastering local lampposts with flyers and the like.

“Each day is better than the one before,” Jaber says. If one were to walk into Wally’s the day it opened, one would have assumed it to be a mediocre, sparsely populated Mediterranean eatery. There were no special promotions, no free samples, no alcohol involved. Just Wally’s. Take it or leave it.

Jaber’s strategy is to first get accustomed to the swing of things – let the cooks master their speed and culinary tactics, become acquainted with the regulars – and then hold a celebratory evening in honor of Wally’s.

Jaber, 23, took this semester off from his studies at MCTC to devote himself to the business when his friend Wally, owner of Hideaway on Fourth Street, asked him to head the place. “Wally loves Dinkytown, and this is just a side business – he’s not looking to get rich. His main goal is to add variety to food in the area,” Jaber says. Every option is authentic Mediterranean cuisine – Turkish shawarma, Egyptian falafel and Lebanese tabouli, just to name a few. Jaber considers Wally’s shawarma the best in Minneapolis, which is made fresh daily. Chicken and beef are spiced and marinated in the kitchen for 12 hours – nothing is processed. In fact, one can see the rotating meats in the window display, awaiting passersby.

This display did not stop me, a vegetarian, from stopping in. Words such as falafel and hummus are enticing even if I am not hungry. Wally’s is home of the only $3 falafel I have ever seen, and after my first bite of tahini and soft pita I knew it would be a memorable one. The biggest delight of munching through a falafel sandwich comes right before – unwrapping the foil to discover what ingredients this particular restaurant has incorporated. The time flew past me as I devoured it in minutes. I even had room for cheesecake, the only non-Middle Eastern dish at Wally’s. Although almost any meal will come with hummus, one can also sample baba ganouge or foule, an Egyptian bean and veggie novelty that I have yet to experience.

For shy eaters tentative of ordering a dish whose name is too unfamiliar to pronounce, I would suggest a sample plate. They are quite bulky but representative of various menu items – great for sharing with a friend. Most sandwiches include sides of fries or tabouli, a parsley based salad with tomatoes, bulgur, and olive oil. Takeout is available with no extra wait, which includes my favorite choice – pita and hummus. Simple, cheap, yet extremely scrumptious.

Although the food at Wally’s is different enough not to stir up a competitive war with other restaurants in Dinkytown, the cheap prices may sway locals in its direction. Open until 3 a.m. on the weekends, Wally’s is sure to gain appreciation among the stumbling crowd of that hour. Will a grand-opening night ever be held? “Eventually,” says Jaber, but no date is set. Wally’s slow rise to power might not need it after all.

Tags: Dinkytown, Falafel