New Falafel Joint for Union Street

Park Slope certainly has its share of falafel joints, but Syrian-native Sakher Moukayek is hoping his might be a cut above the rest.

This weekend, the chef and budding restaurateur will open Falafilo, a new falafel and shawarma spot on Union Street approaching Fourth Avenue.

Moukayek, 46, spent seven years as a chef the much-loved Atlantic Avenue Middle Eastern eatery Fountain Café before deciding to branch out on his own.

“I love cooking and everybody loves falafel and shawarma,” said Moukayek.

Moukayek’s secret ingredient, though, isn’t just producing crowd pleasers: he’s using old family recipes, many from his mother, who taught him how to cook. Lamb shawarma is his specialty.

“Everybody has a different way of making it,” he said. “Different meat, different spices.”

Falafilo’s menu will boast more that just falafel and shawarma, too. The menu has an entire vegetarian section with items like a fried cauliflower sandwich and fava bean salad sandwich.

Also present are Middle Eastern standards like sambousek (a fried pastry stuffed with meat) and kibbeh (essentially fried, chopped meat).

Desserts, which Moukayek said are house made, run the gambit from the usual (baklava) to the unusual(apricot pudding and honey cake).  

The space will be a take-out spot, with a few seats for dining in.