In my time with Irvine Weekly, I’ve discussed many different types of food with roots all around the world. Whether it’s been Indian, Korean, Chinese, Greek or Mexican, I’ve been more than happy to run in with no hesitation and fill my gullet until I’m ready to make my own judgments. However, there’s been one type of cuisine I’ve been keen to avoid until now: Lebanese. 

Now before you get your pitchforks out, I happen to be Lebanese myself, and this is by no means a case of me being a traitor to my country. I adore my country’s food, and that adoration was born out of years of enjoying delicious home-cooked meals showcasing the greatest hits of my people. 

Falasophy storefront (Andy N./Yelp)

It’s this upbringing with my mother and grandmother’s world-class cuisine that would lead to my eternal hesitation with Lebanese restaurants: What if it wasn’t as good? This was less of an “if” and more of a matter of fact to me. After a few experiences with sub-par places around the U.S., I accepted that if my mom or grandma (or a mom/grandma of some sort) weren’t preparing it, it would be a disappointment. It’s not that the food would be bad, per se, but I would be thrown into flashbacks of when I was at home having the better version of whatever I was eating.

However, I knew it was time to face my fears sooner or later. To dip my toes into these unfamiliar waters, I ventured into the familiar Irvine Spectrum to try out a little spot called Falasophy. My first impression of the place itself was that it blended in nicely with the other storefronts in the Spectrum, while having a warmer energy than many of the others. This, I found, is thanks to the bright shades of yellow, pink and other colors that pop up throughout the restaurant, especially on the chairs, right-hand wall and decorations. 

Chicken shawarma at Falasophy (Olin C./Yelp)

A kind and helpful staff member presented me with a menu at the counter, and upon taking a glance I found a blend of certified Lebanese classics and intriguing modern twists. As far as classics, I was pleased to see things like chicken and steak shawarma (being prepared on traditional vertical rotisseries), kabobs, falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, grape leaves and even tabouli grace the menu. 

Other items, like the báhn mi falafel pita, spicy Armenian quesadilla, halloumi fries and Lebanese cheese taquitos, confused and fascinated me all at once. I wanted to test their takes on the foods I’ve known and loved, but I was willing to give one of these modern items a shot. I ended up going for the hummus, the halloumi fries, and their specialty “street-style” kabob wrap. I felt this selection would allow me to test them on the basics while giving me an idea of what they do to stand out from the rest. 

It’s known by all Lebanese folks that the merit of a restaurant serving our food can be judged by the quality of hummus they offer. If they can’t execute something as simple yet vital as that blend of chickpeas, lemon and garlic, what does that say about their dedication to providing good food? This, even early on, would be the moment of truth, and I was happy to find the truth was more than pleasant on the tongue. 

One bite in, I noted how a real balance had been achieved with the hummus itself; there wasn’t too much garlic, not too much lemon, and not too little of either. The flavors showed themselves, but didn’t try too hard. What did stand out, though, was the generous serving of cumin on top. Now, cumin is never a bad idea with hummus, depending on your recipe, but I found the amount they put onto mine a tad excessive, to the point where it became the main thing on my mind during certain bites. This doesn’t discount the dish, and I’d actually be more than happy to order it again, but I’d ask them to go lighter on the cumin next time. 

Kofta and falafel at Falasophy (Sheila H./Yelp)

Next up were the halloumi fries. These were especially exciting for me, since cheese is one of my favorite foods, and halloumi is one of my favorite cheeses … when prepared right, that is. 

The breading for these fries lead them to resemble mozzarella sticks, which only made me more eager to pound a few of these back. Dipped in the red pepper walnut muhamara, the pairing felt even more obvious than the marriage of mozzarella sticks and marinara I’ve long admired. That’s also to say it not only fulfilled but surpassed my expectations. The crispiness of the outside played perfectly with the firm yet softer texture of the halloumi, and the muhamara brought both parts even closer together, giving off a rainbow of flavors that came in intense and subtle waves alike. 

I had to put these delights away, though, because I had a kabob sandwich to bite into, and heaven forbid I keep it waiting any longer. To be more accurate, I couldn’t keep myself waiting any longer. I blacked out. Everything went dim around me. I heard shouting, either from myself or a bystander. When I awoke, the sandwich was gone, and I was left with but a few memories of what it gave me.

The meat was cooked to perfection, although it should be described as kofta, rather than beef, because the former describes the specific preparation they used, while beef (despite being an accurate descriptor) implies larger pieces of meat. The pieces of meat in the wrap are plenty big to be clear, along with being well seasoned and overall delicious, but the difference is that kofta is ground beef that’s brought together akin to a patty, although shaped differently. 

Teaming up with the kofta in the wrap, fries provided a welcome dose of potato as well as a texture shift, further aided by the crunchy slaw and pickles. The ketchup was a nice add-on, and the garlic sauce was OK, although I’d like the garlic flavor to have been more present. Overall, these ingredients (brought together by some fresh pita bread) made for a more than fitting end to a meal that was not only satisfying, but fear-crushing. I’ll still ask my mom to ship me food, sure, although it won’t be as often. I’ll always try the hummus first as a test, but now I’m more willing to try.

Learn more about the restaurant and explore the menu on their website.

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