A Taste of Lebanon Now at West Wyoming Market

Middle Easterners seeking a little taste of home and others looking to get a falafel fix and more have a new outpost in Melrose.

recently expanded to include a counter where owner John Hashem whips up comfort foods from his native Lebanon, alongside more familiar deli staples.

The menu include falafel wraps, the deep-fried chickpea balls familiar to anyone who has stopped at a New York City food cart.

"What makes it really good is the tahini sauce, which is sesame paste," Hashem said. "So if people are vegan, they can get it ... Add in a little bit of turnips, a little tomatoes, onions and you’re in business."

Other offerings include kebbe, which are wheat balls stuffed with seasoned beef; stuffed grape leaves; hummus; and beef or chicken shawarma.

Hashem makes the shawarma overnight in a crock pot, using Middle Eastern spices, tomatoes and onions, the latter of which come out sweet and tart in the finished dish. Orders are heated up on a small griddle before being scooped into a wrap for an easy meal on the go; customers can also sit at the small counter spaces being installed next to the storefront's windows.

"And if they don’t like it," he said, wiping his hands clean, "I give them their money back. Not a problem. That’s how sure I am."

For less adventurous souls, Hashem also offers roast beef, chicken salad and other sandwiches to compliment the ethnic cuisine.

"Say you and your wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, you both come in and you like the kebbe but they don't want the kebbe, I don’t want them to go elsewhere," he said. "But they try it, sample it and they love it. I’ve been having great feedback from all my customers."

The owner of West Wyoming Market for the past the 13 years, Hashem said he made the change to try and stay competitive while business is still slow. He's keeping the menu limited for now, but also plans to add burritos to the menu soon.

"Small baby steps—not just baby steps, small baby steps," he said. "Because I'm in school, I'm a dad, a husband, a brother, I work two jobs and try to do this at night, 1 a.m. sometimes. But I’m happy with the results. I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from customers. They're really happy with how spacious the place looks."

While pursuing his degree in business and information and technology, with plans to enroll at UMass Lowell for his master's, Hashem also tends bar at the Middle East Restaurant and Night Club in Cambridge.

"God bless my wife, she’s been filling in for me, helping me out," he said. "Then, just baby steps. I’m very optimistic. As long as I can  spread the word out there and educate people about it, have them try it."

Traveling to work in Central Square gave him the idea that Melrosians are seeing more ethnic restaurants as they travel outside the city, broadening their culinary horizons.

"In Cambridge, the chances are you’re going to go by Indian restaurants, Middle Eastern restaurants, Ethopian restaurants ... in one block of Central Square you have about 10 Indian places," he said. "That’s what I want to explain to them is ours is different and it doesn’t actually just taste good—it’s good for you."