Lunch of the Month: Gazali’s

Above: The aroma draws you in; this is what makes you come back—lunch at Gazali’s on 25th Street.

By Wini Moranville

“I wonder if you can buy scented candles that smell like this,” my dining buddy said as we walked into Gazali’s. For sure, the fragrance of roasted meat and toasted spices welcomed us into the front room of this casual Drake-area eatery, promising just so much flavor.

It had been too long since I’d been to Gazali’s. What I remember as (mostly) a quick-stop falafel, gyro and soda-pop shop has upped their game since my last visit. The charming separate dining room, sans views of the workaday order-at-the-counter operation, offers pleasant focal points of wine bottle arrangements and storefront windows. You could actually linger here awhile—especially now that they have recently started serving beer and wine.

The restaurant specializes in falafel, chicken shawarma and gyro meats, which you can order either tucked into pitas or served atop salads. I thoroughly enjoyed the falafel salad, with sturdy shredded romaine lettuce and crisp cucumbers topped with plenty of crunchy chickpea fritters, a dollop of hummus and zippy kalamata olives. My dining pal was equally thrilled with her gyro salad, with its generous windfall of moist, irresistibly spiced lamb gyro meat.

Gazali’s is at 1205 25th St., 515-309-8167. Find them on Facebook at Gazali’s – Gyros & Mediterranean Specialities.

Wini Moranville writes about food, wine and dining for dsm magazine and dsmWeekly. Follow her on Facebook at All Things Food–DSM.