Eating at Al Salam Restaurant in Fort Collins is like having dinner in your uncle’s rec room. You walk in, take off your shoes and sit on pillows on the floor in a paneled room decorated with travel posters and a big aquarium.
Your uncle, in this case, is Osama Barzak, a friendly Kuwait native who has run the restaurant with his family since 1997. The menu suggests diners are in a Bedouin caravan, with categories such as “Desert Thirst,” “Sandwich Oasis,” “Belly Dancer’s Delight” and “Sultan’s Corner.”
“It’s very comfy when you sit on the floor without your shoes,” says Barzak, who studied restaurant management at the University of Denver. “I try to make the atmosphere where people feel like they are eating at home. …”
Cheerful servers kneel to take your order. We slake our “Desert Thirst” with Vimto (a carbonated fruit drink), Palestinian apple juice or fresh lemonade (no alcohol is served here).
If you’re with three or more people, a good way to sample the menu is with one of the many combo plates. Try the falafel (chickpea fritters); foul (pronounced “fool” – mashed fava beans seasoned with lemon juice and cumin, similar to refried beans); hummus (a chick-pea dip); and baba ghanoush (eggplant purée), which can be ordered as appetizers, in sandwiches ($3.29-$4.99) or as part of the combo plates ($5.19-$26.99).
Omnivores will have a hard time choosing among the salads, shawarma (shaved chicken, lamb or beef) and kabobs. Vegetarians will find plenty of options, too.
Each salad offers a snappy contrast to the rich seasoning of the main dishes. Tabbouleh combines fresh cracked wheat, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, parsley and mint with lemon juice and olive oil. Fatouch ($3.99) resembles panzanella, the Italian bread salad, with its crunchy croutons, tomatoes, cucmbers and mint. The Arabic salad ($3.79) of tomatoes, cucumber, onions, green and red pepper is a little spicy.
The food here is intensely flavorful, but not hot. “My food has flavor spices, not spicy spices,” says Barzak.
Al Salam’s hummus ($3.99 appetizer) is the stuff of cravings. Once you’ve tried the creamy, lemony spread flecked with paprika-colored sumac, a seasoning that tastes like a cross between cumin and lemon zest, you’ll want a weekly fix.
Barzak says his customers have grown more curious about his culture, and he attributes their comfort with asking questions to his philosophy of hospitality. “Like why we ask them to take off their shoes – it’s tradition. It’s very important in Arabic culture to make people feel comfortable.”
Staff writer Kristen Browning-Blas can be reached at 303-820-1440 or kbrowning@denverpost.com.
Al Salam Restaurant
Middle Eastern |822 S. College Ave., Fort Collins; 970-484-3198 |$2.99 to $26.99|11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, noon-10 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday. Visa, MC
Front burner: Excellent falafel, hummus, baba ganouj, shawarma and tabbouleh served with Middle Eastern hospitality in a comfy family atmosphere.
Back burner: If you don’t live in northern Colorado, it’s a bit of a drive, but it’s worth stopping if you’re in the area.
