Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Sunrise Deli - Middle Eastern, San Francisco

2115 Irving St, San Francisco CA 94122
(415) 664-8210
Parking: street parking

Last Visited: September 2, 2006

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 2 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $

Located amidst many Chinese restaurants and markets, Sunrise Deli may be overlooked initially, but stand outside and smell the fresh falafel and kabobs, and you’re sure to take notice. Opened in 1984, you’ll see the meat roasting in the front window. Sunrise Deli is part store, part restaurant. The rear side of the right wall contains many canned items and the refrigerator in the rear contains cold drinks. The counter on the right sits in front of a menu on the wall and you can choose between multiple combination selections and other items. Sunrise also offers baked goods.

The young man behind the counter is knowledgeable and friendly. There seemed to be many that were regulars, but also a lot of new people like myself, and he was very amiable about explaining what items contained.

- Lamb Schwarma Sandwich - Lamb seemed to be a popular item on the menu so I selected this sandwich. A pita shell is lightly smeared with hummus on the inside and filled with warm lamb that has been cut from the roast and lightly fried. Lettuce and other goodies are added to create a melt in your mouth sandwich. Very good. It’s a great bargain and has great flavor. $5.99

- Vegetarian Combo – The vegetarian combo came with hummus, babaganoush, dolmas, two pieces of pita bread, falafel, and taboulleh (tomato, bulgar, cucumber salad). There’s also a mixture of something with a lot of parsley and garlic. It’s all piled high on a plate, but I noticed myself getting a little weary after half the plate was eaten. The falafel was warm and crisp on the outside, and just the right texture on the inside – not soggy, but just the right softness. The dolma was nicely flavored. The babaganoush had a mild flavor and so did the hummus. The taboulleh had a lot of parsley. I would recommend this plate to share. There’s too much for one person. $4.99

- Sesame Bread Ring – A bread ring is topped with sesame – it makes for a delicious bun or roll. Very soft and fresh. $1.25

- Orangina – Well, this is bottled. They only offered large bottles, and it was good. $1.75

The restroom is in the rear of the kitchen. What was interesting this day was that nothing was taking place in the kitchen, or so it seemed. It was void of any cooking. There was lots of fresh parsley on the counter, but nothing else was happening around it. It appears most of the preparation takes place earlier in the day, and the cooking is handled outside.

Sunrise is a great place to get food on the go that’s fresh and delicious. The falafel is a treat, and the lamb schwarma sandwich is delicious. They also have many dishes available not in a sandwich so you’re bound to find something you like. A great place to have reasonably priced Middle Eastern food.

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