Oakland

Where Stuffed Falafel Shines and Dried Figs Falter

by Sarah Bass | Sep 18, 2023 11:07 am

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Posted to: Food

Pomella Oakland
3770 Piedmont Ave.
Oakland CA 94611

I am often skeptical of both falafel served anywhere outside of the Middle East and the quality of the offerings on wealthy shopping streets, such as Oakland’s Piedmont Avenue. (And yes, there is an Oakland Ave. in the town of Piedmont, just to clear things up.) That said, I love Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food of all sorts and good food of any kind, so Pomella, an Israeli restaurant infused with the flavors of ​“Levantine, Maghrebi, North African, Mediterranean, Eastern European & Middle Eastern Food” with a small take-away commissary, had been on my list to check out for quite some time.

My friend Jasmine and I arrived toward the end of what might have been a lunch rush to sunny skies and a large covered patio adorned by bougainvillea. Pomella shares a building with Doña, another offshoot of a local restaurant, Doña Thomas. (Pomella is the offspring of Ba-Bite, formerly up the road.) The parking lot is posted with signs warning of car-break ins, and has meters charging an unclear hourly rate and $30/day.

We parked on the street less than half a block away.

The atmosphere is bright and spacious with a fast-casual feel and a plethora of options. We were delighted to find that most of the offerings come in multiple sizes, meaning we could cobble together a variety a la carte without breaking the bank. 

This proved to be an excellent strategy, as we found many of the dishes to be tasty but lacking when eaten alone. The red cabbage and fig salad, which we had singled out immediately, was a major disappointment for me, with little to no acidic balance for the oily dressing and dried figs in place of fresh ones. At $6.50 a cup, we were hardly expecting a bounty of the delicate and pricey fresh fruits. But given that we are in the heart of the season for them here, it felt like a cop-out. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Give me the fresh, in-season fruits, or give me nothing.

Our other biggest disappointment was the lack of, once again, fresh, but really any discernible, pomegranate in the eggplant and pomegranate dish. We enjoyed it, with soft but not slimy flesh, a tiny bit of charred flavor (I wanted more), and a creamy tahini sauce blanketing it and our mouths. But the titular pomegranate came in the form of near-indistinguishable syrup somewhere in the mix. I needed the crunch of the cabbage with it, along with its brightness, for textural contrast, but would certainly order the eggplant again knowing that. It’s all about expectations, no?

The star of the meal was the cheese-stuffed falafel, of which we were both cautious but deeply optimistic, and with good cause. Too often are the balls either fried through and tough, dry, and greasy all at once, or else barely submerged in the hot oil and left raw, too soft, with no give. These were large (and at $6 for two of them … they ought to be), more akin to a fritter, I decided, than a traditional falafel, with a crunchy brown outer crust, vibrant and soft green interior, and luscious, just warm cheese at the center. The tahini dipping sauce was ultra viscous, coating the craggily surface just right.

Jasmine got the lamb kefta at the suggestion of the woman behind the counter. She enjoyed the balance of seasonings, ​“bouncy” texture and mouthfeel, and the bit of true lamb gaminess coming through underneath, and it too felt like a good-sized portion for the price.

The remainder of our choices were tasty but underwhelming, with my heart dropping at the pickles in particular. They came sealed in a container to take home after, which was nice, and swam in a bright magenta brine, courtesy of the beet slices. But the irregular slicing and mildly-overdone flavor (my first bite tasted quite over fermented, not quite rancid but not … fresh) and not-super-crisp veg left much to be desired for this pickle person.

The beluga lentil salad was tasty and crunchy (perhaps too crunchy where the lentils are concerned?), with the hazelnuts providing a strange backdrop. I had to double check that they weren’t chickpeas, and Jasmine found the pieces to be too saturated in dressing and soft. The ​“spa water” we shared was good, and just that, but I found myself constantly disappointed that it was not a saltier, lemony version, or even just celery juice. I did not taste the mint or ginger, which also could have done the trick. So, for $4 green water I’m not sure sure, but it like… was good for us, right? I feel pretty certain some of the other offerings, such as the Yemeni iced coffee or blackberry lemonade, would have left us perfectly satisfied.

The tzatziki was delicious but nothing to write home about, as was the pita — the former providing the only strong garlic of the meal (for shame!), the latter soft and chewy, but with little flavor. 

We packed up our leftovers, bussed the table, and appreciated the environment a bit more before marveling at the parking situation again. We don’t know who owns the lot or what their rent might be, but endless warning signs of theft, a $30 pricetag, and cashless businesses are not a friendly vibe so long as I’m concerned. I will definitely be back, with a credit card and an appetite, but do wish the exterior beckoned the same way the raw wood, hand-painted signs, and fabulous scents from Doña do.

________________

Sit down/table service Y

Outdoor seating Y

Takeout Y

_______________

Ready to go options/cafeteria style Y

Less than 15 min wait Y

Under $20 w/tax and tip Y

Many options under $20 Y

More than 1 veg option Y

________________

Open weekdays Y

Open weekends Y

Open Mondays Y

Bartable Y

Cash Free Y

Tags: lunch , lunch under 25 , oakland , oakland eats , mediterranean