Fast-Casual Middle Eastern Eatery Expanding to Carmel Mountain

<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/L2HeW0T0Get7A7PeXTAdd_t5gZY=/143x0:2410x1700/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64000357/SimSim_3.1.0.jpg"> <a href="https://sandiego.eater.com/2018/7/3/17529802/simsim-middle-eastern-restaurant-opening-soon">After getting its start in Clairemont Mesa last fall</a>,<a href="https://www.eatsimsim.com/"> <strong>Simsim Outstanding Shawarma</strong></a><strong> </strong>is heading north to Carmel Mountain. The fast-casual Middle Eastern eatery is announcing a Fall 2019 opening at <a href="https://www.carmelmountainplaza.com/">Carmel Mountain Plaza </a>in a 2,400-square-foot space that will have a modern design and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Expect this to just be the start of Simsim’s expansion. Nawar Miri, its co-founder, president, and CEO, is a veteran of the fast-casual industry, having previously served as corporate director of the Urban Plates chain. Simsim Outstanding Shawarma will open a second location this fall Led by executive chef Ibrahim Alsharief, a native Jordanian who worked at five-star hotels throughout the Middle East, Simsim’s menu is based on classic Arabic cuisine, most specifically shawarma, or meats cooked on a vertical rotisserie. Signatures include carved beef and lamb or carved chicken served wrapped in freshly baked saj bread or atop bowls and salads with a variety of homemade sauces ranging from tahini to roasted tomato and spicy garlic; the new location’s offerings will feature even more meat options. Other Middle East specialities include hummus, baba ghanoush, and baklava. <figure> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ac2mqamwQ5obzlCJ-DLn72MzKiE=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/16341968/SimSim_3.2.jpg"> <cite>Courtesy rendering</cite> </figure> <p></p>