(No caption)
There's no shortage of Mediterranean restaurants in Metro Detroit, particularly in places like Hamtramck where the Boostan Cafe at 3470 Holbrook Ave. stands out, writes Tom Perkins of Metro Times:
When it comes to the Mediterranean standards, the tiny carryout restaurant's sandwiches are indeed among the best. Its tawook sandwich comes with borderline boulders of charred, white-meat chicken that the kitchen spices perfectly, and the restaurant's falafel is moist and flavorful.
Given that the familiar is so good, it's tough to get motivated to gamble on other menu items, especially those that are unique to the area. But Boostan is perhaps at its best when it gets weird. Beyond Mediterranean sandwiches, the Yemeni-run restaurant rolls into its pitas the flavors of Yemen, Egypt, and the U.S.
For example, the shat shawish sandwich — one of the Boostan's best — tastes like a Tex-Mex Mediterranean crossover with shredded chicken, tomatoes, pickles, jalapeños, and a tangy "Boostan sauce" (traditional garlic sauce combined with house-made ranch, and a few other spices) wrapped in a pita.
