Imagine yourself: you are driving down 225 South, craving some food. You decide to exit and look for a restaurant stop before heading back on the road. 

A couple right turns and you end up at Crave, a Mediterranean grill known for their Shawarmas and Kabab entrees. You head in and hear the bell ring. You look around, the restaurant is buzzing with business, and you’re wondering if they can even squeeze you in tonight.

“Welcome in! Party for one?” The waiter lets you know it will be a 10 minute wait. 

Once you’re seated, you scan the menu. You’re overwhelmed with the choices, spanning from hand made hummus to a gyro. 

You end up ordering hummus, lentil soup and a chicken Kabob.

You dip your warm pita bread into the smooth dip made with lemon juice and garlic, leaving a sensational taste in your mouth. You devour the appetizer in a few bites. 

“I have 5 people in my family and we finished the hummus in about 2 minutes,” sophmore Eshal Kermani said. 

Then you go in for a sip of the lentil soup, and you immediately feel comforted by the warm and hearty nature of the soup.

Finally, the Chicken Kabob. Marinated chicken pieces that fall right off the skewer, infused with a variety of spices and topped with vegetables and a side of rice. 

You feel stuffed, but you know you can’t leave without trying some dessert. You get both the baklawa and cheese Knafeh. 

“Baklawa is a pastry filled with chopped nuts – usually pistachios or walnuts, then is wrapped in phyllo dough and soaked in a sugar syrup,” junior Mareea Elmagbari said. “Knafeh is a Middle Eastern dessert made with a thin noodle-like pastry and layered with some cheese, and again, topped with a sugar syrup. They’re unique desserts to the western area, but they’re really good.” 

Once you satisfy your craving, you decide to head out, knowing you will come visit again.

“Thank you for coming in!”