Camilya’s: A Tale of Two Lunches
Beef shewarma from Camilya's in Quail Springs Plaza.
It was the best of meals, it was the worst of meals.
Lori and I visited Camilya’s, 10942 N May in Quail Springs Plaza, a few months back — anxious to add another quality Mediterranean cafe to the rotation that includes Mediterranean Deli, Nunu’s, Zorba’s, Gyro’s Etc. and Couscous Cafe.
Anxious was the wrong thing to be. We waited approximately 35 minutes for her falafel sandwich and my beef keftah to arrive. And trust me, I’m leaning to the low end when I say 35 minutes.
Camilya’s is a tiny cafe, so we didn’t have much to chat about other than the tiny patio. It was hot the day we were in, so outside wasn’t an option. Though we agreed there was some merit to the little outdoor spot for a nice spring lunch.
When the food finally arrived it looked and smelled phenomenal. I couldn’t wait to dig in, perhaps it was the long wait or more innate ability to go from 0-100 on the hunger scale in 1.2 seconds.
So dig I did, only to find a completely raw center to my cylindrical burgerloaf. I won’t go into it, but we politely left with a promise to return down the road.
Lori couldn’t be convinced as the experience planted a grudge in her that she wasn’t willing to lift just yet. So, I went it alone one mid-afternoon to avoid any possible lunch rush problems. This time, I went with the beef shewarma (their spelling, not mine). I wouldn’t say the food was delivered promptly this time, but that’s not always a major faux pas for me. I only pass it along for those that need speed when lunching.
Falafel with yogurt sauce
I also ordered a side of falafel. Camilya’s brand was shaped like little hockey pucks rather than hushpuppies and they were more than satisfying, served with a smooth, garlicky tzatziki interpretation.
The center was lush and the crust crisp, you can’t have good falafel without those elements. I think it was good enough for Lori to lift the embargo.
The beef in the shewarma was reminiscent of taqueria-style sirloin chopped in larger pieces and surrounded by the trimmings we’ve come to expect with gyros — pita, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and tzatziki. Delicious. The sauce with the sandwich was a variation on the sauce with the falafel. This one was thicker and included more parsley. The falafel sauce was a little thinner with a more rich flavor.
Overall, definitely something I will return for. Whether I can get my wife to come with me will probably necessitate an order of falafel delivered to her desk.
Have you been to Camilya’s? Let me know what you thought.
Where do you go for your Mediterranean food urges?
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[...] places for gyros, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food have popped up around the city. Places like Camilya’s, Athens Cafe, Gyros Etc., and Mediterranean Imports and Deli are in my life [...]