Mal Al Sham, a Mediterranean and Syrian restaurant in El Cajon, was incredibly busy at 4 o’clock, Jan. 29. I only waited in line for three to five minutes, which was amazing for the number of people inside. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating to fit around 50 to 80 people total. With a small and visible kitchen, it’s very interesting to see how the food is made. I was unsure of what to order, so the cashier recommended the Chicken Shawarma sandwich that came with fries and sauce, and to my surprise, my meal was $12  but it had more than enough food for one person. I found this incredibly reasonable to be priced  at 12 dollars especially for the recommendation coming from someone working there to not be an expensive item.

I was expecting to wait 10 or 15 minutes for my food, but it came in just five and was hot and fresh. Every table in the comfortable restaurant was stocked with sauces. 

As for the food, the meal was overflowing with fries and shawarma. The fries were airy but also very crispy, and paired with the included garlic sauce, it was a perfect combination of flavors and textures. The shawarma was very fresh and full of slow-roasted chicken, garlic sauce, just enough pickles, and a crunchy, savory wrap. The flavor profiles fit perfectly together because of the sweet and smoky sauce paired with the roasted and charred chicken. The combination with the fries was excellent as well due to the crunch and added flavor of the potatoes. On top of the flavors, the ratio of ingredients in each wrap was perfect.  

Even with it being my first time there, the service and atmosphere of Mal Al Sham made me feel comfortable and at home. The menu featured tons of variety, including larger portions for catering, offering more than 60 unique menu items. The versatility and uniqueness of all the food on the menu was amazing to see with such a small kitchen to make it. 

The only flaws of my experience were the lack of space in a small parking lot that took a couple of minutes to clear out, and the lengthy drive to El Cajon, which is a bit more than I’d like to take on a regular basis. That said, the drive was most definitely worth it.

From bringing Mediterranean and Syrian culture and food to Southern California, to consistently packing out the restaurant in the afternoon, Mal Al Sham deserves a 5/5 and was an experience that included great service and amazing food.