Midtown Lunch

I had a “tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you who you are” moment the other day.  Fresh off my $5 pita sandwich at Shawarma Palace, I got another Pico lunch recommendation from Josh Lurie- the guy behind Food GPS.  I ran into him at my new office, and he handed me a menu for Pita Way and pointed out the half and half combo sandwich featuring shawarma and schnitzel.  Yup, you read that right.  That’s spit roast meats *and* deep fried chicken together at last- a sandwich that he said sounded right up my alley.  Translation: “I see you as a fat, disgusting pig.”  I would have been offended if I hadn’t been busy thinking “Holy shit, are you joking?  Shawarma and schnitzel on the same sandwich!?  For under $10?  That sounds like one the greatest things of all time.  I need to go eat one right now.”

Pita Way has the pristine look of a brand new chain, but it’s actually been open for a few years.  It’s Kosher (naturally) and features the standard things you’d expect to find at such a place (shawarma, kebabs, schnitzel and falafel) along with a bunch of things you might not expect to find (teriyaki shawarma, curry schnitzel, and lemon chicken.)  But I was there for one thing and one thing only… the #4.  Half and Half Combo on laffa with everything ($9.99/$8.49 on Pita).

Isn’t she a beauty?  I’m not sure what “traditional” laffa is supposed to be like (my favorite version in New York was an amazingly puffy oven baked bread similar to naan) but this was just a basic flatbread- albeit, one that was clearly made in house.  Unlike some “This is Why Your Fat” combos, which can border on overkill, shawarma and schnitzel are actually kind of perfect together.  All the flavor, grease, and juiciness from the shawarma combined with the crunchy schnitzel ends up making the ultimate sandwich.  I might find it difficult to eat one without the other ever again.

All the sandwiches come with lettuce tomatoes and your choice of hummus, tahini and mayo, but whatever you do don’t miss out on the condiment table next to the sodas. What looks like ketchup and mustard is actually tahini, and anba- a very standard Israeli condiment made from pickled mangoes with a savory and distinct, almost curry’ish flavor.  (Similar to mango pickles you’ll find at some Indian restaurants.)  Their version is super tasty, and shouldn’t be missed.  There is also a squirt bottle of  house made hot sauce that is a must try as well.

In fact, much of what you find at Pita Way is house made, elevating it beyond the standard falafel joint in L.A.  In addition to the condiments, they make all their breads fresh in house… and the pita was even better than the laffa.

Had to just try a falafel in pita… you know… for science.  From the very first bite you could tell that the pita was clearly not from a bag, and exactly you want from an Israeli falafel place- soft, and fluffy.  The falafel might have been slightly mushy/under cooked on the inside for some people (better than being overcooked, as far as I’m concerned) but they had a great flavor.  I would say I’d get it again, but I just can’t see myself ordering anything other than the schawarnitzel (don’t try ordering it that way, I just made that word up.)

Oh, and the spicy french fries (which came recommended by the cashier) were also worth a shot… and like everything else are made fresh.

Considering the kooky menu (and the crazy combo that brought me there in the first place) I wouldn’t have been surprised to discover that Pita Way was just some gimmicky spot on Pico.  Instead it turned out to be a dream come true.  Finding a place that bakes their own pita is a huge score in my book, the fact that they do everything else in house as well, is just a bonus.  And the shawarma/schnitzel combo?  That’s just a stroke of genius.

THE +

• Shawarma and schnitzel is the new peanut butter and jelly!  One is just not as good without the other.
• All the bread is fresh baked
• The condiments are home made and delicious
• Even the fries are made fresh

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• $10 for a sandwich?  And you don’t even get fries with it?  That’s waaaay to expensive
• I wish the laffa was puffy like the version I had in NYC.

Pita Way, 8532 West Pico Blvd, 310-652-5236