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2074 NW Lovejoy (enter on 21st), 503.227.4196, 3433 SE Hawthorne, 503.239.6087 (both in Portland, Oregon)
Garbonzos serves the fast food of the middle east, and, like the American version, it's ready to go quickly and can be eaten out of hand. But felafel and Big Macs part company when it comes to their impact on your lifespan. The low-fat, high-carbohydrate, chick pea-stuffed pita meets all the criteria for being good for you; a steady diet of two all-beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun will kill you. And just because it served quickly doesn;t mean you have to take the food and run.
Both the original store on NW 21st and the offspring on SE Hawthorne offer a pleasantly quirky atmosphere for a sit-down meal, even if it is a short one. Bright stainless steel, colorful tile accents against buff-colored walls, and playful DeBusk wire sculptures differentiate Garbonzos from the Persian rugs and low lighting of most other middle eastern restaurants. Besides the felafel, pita comes filled with grilled chicken, lamb, or the vertically roasted meat called shawarma, here made from turkey. Order the large mixed salad plate but ask for just baba ghanooj, hummos, tahini, and the roasted eggplant salad. You'll get a couple of hot pitas for scooping it all up.
The vegetarian lentil soup may be one of the best bowls in town, mixing the tiny pulses with spinach and onions in a rich broth spiced with cumin, and the chicken noodle is a Jewish mother's dream. Check the blackboard for daily specials, which range from stuffed cabbage rolls to a baked spinach-filled turnover served with a yogurt-cucumber sauce. If the spinach and black-eyed pea salad makes an appearance, grab it. The just-cooked greens and nutty beans are swathed in a simple, lemony dressing. Garbonzos is quick, good for you, and, for all you insomniacs, open until 1:30 weeknights, 3:00 am on Friday and Saturday.