Restaurant Review – I Dream of Falafel

I’m always on the lookout for a healthy, fast-casual restaurant. This week, I found my new obsession. IDOF, short for ‘I Dream of Falafel’ is quick, Mediterranean heaven. With eight locations in the Chicagoland area, clearly other people think so as well. I popped into the Lakeview location- at 851 W. Belmont. The menu has a “Create-Your-Own” format. You begin by choosing either a pita, wrap, salad plate, or create-your-own (CYO) plate. I decided on a salad plate: your choice of crisp spring mix or fresh baby spinach, along with your choice of protein, toppings, and a house dressing. My protein options were falafel, chicken shawarma, chicken kebab, gyro, or kefta kebab. I decided on the chicken kebab, described as “juicy, marinated cubes of grilled chicken”. There were so many toppings to choose from: tabouli quinoa salad, cabbage slaw, pickled turnips, cucumber and tomato, crumbled feta, olives, lettuce, pepperoncini, sumac onions, and pickles. I decided on tabouli quinoa salad, cucumber and tomato, crumbled feta, olives, and sumac onions. Finally, I could choose my own sauce: IDOF hot sauce, tzatziki, spicy tomato, tahini, or garlic. I love tzatziki and judge Mediterranean restaurants on their tzatziki quality, so I knew I had to go with that. This was absolutely delicious. The vegetables were fresh and crunchy, always a necessity for a good salad. I loved the tabouli quinoa salad- the flavors were bright and zingy and the quinoa gave the salad great texture. The sumac onions were another hit! I love pickled things and the flavor was fantastic. The tzatziki absolutely lived up to my expectations. I can’t wait to come back and try a pita or a CYO plate!

The Belmont location is open from 11 am to 10 pm Saturdays through Sundays. For more detailed information on other locations and their hours, check out their website.

RACHEL HOOVLER & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO