Is there a battle brewing among Greater Portland’s Mediterranean fast-casual chains?
Not long after, Jaffa outlined Route 1 with yard signs leading to the route new, second location in Falmouth this fall, Mr. Chickpea opened to rave reviews in South Portland, and owner Abbas Ahmed says he has plans to recreate the business model.
Jaffa’s South Portland location, which opened in 2020, quickly became a lunchtime favorite among my colleagues when we returned to our nearby office post-pandemic, and as a sucker for anything served in bowl form, I’m I am no exception.
With plenty of options for falafel, gyros, shawarma and other Middle Eastern staples both at my home and in the office, I didn’t think I could meet Mr. Chickpea, but when I heard more rumors about it, I couldn’t leave.
Falafel Plus Wrap from Mr. Chicpea in South Portland. Photo by Leslie Bridgers
Online reviews repeatedly mentioned the Falafel Plus Wrap. The lack of description on any menu I could find made me even more intrigued: what could the “plus” be? I followed Siri’s silly directions through the neighborhoods of South Portland to find out.
In the compact storefront, with a row of stools looking out a window and a handful of stalls, a menu on the wall behind the counter featured photos of each item. It seemed that the “plus” meant that for 50 cents more, a few fries were thrown into the package.
At first I didn’t ask or even look, but tried to see if I could distinguish the different components by taste alone, but I soon realized that it would be impossible to take them all apart. The fries and falafel melted into a flavorful mush, topped with crispy vegetables and smothered in what tasted like a curry gravy.
Ahmed later told me that I actually tasted three sauces: tahini, mango and tamarind; the regular falafel wrap only has the first two. If you want it spicy, you can add a fourth hot sauce. And it turns out that, in addition to the addition of fries, the Falafel Plus also contains cauliflower and eggplant, as well as the beet spears and cabbage-salad mix that comes in the regular package. At less than $8, both are a good deal, but that’s a lot of “plus” for just 50 cents more.
All together it made for a falafel wrap unlike anything I’ve ever had before, and it proved me wrong about whether Mr. Chickpea could serve a purpose in my life.
Falafel Plus Wrap, $7.95, Mr. Chickpea, Main St., South Portland. mrchickpea.com
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