Salaam Cafe: Food for your soul

​My friend Jeff called to tell me he had found a new Middle Eastern restaurant on the East Side of town. At least he thought it was Middle Eastern and he thought it was new. Turns out it’s neither. It’s not much to look at from the outside, but the Salaam Cafe at 6950 Prospect is worth a visit.

I could understand why Jeff thought the restaurant might serve dishes like hummus and baba ghanoush. The sign — the only colorful note on the low-slung building — is done up with palm trees in vaguely Mediterranean fashion. And the Arabic word salaam, of course, means “peace” and is shared as a respectful ceremonial greeting. It’s also the name of the restaurant’s owner, Sulaiman Salaam, who opened the tiny but welcoming spot in October 2008.

The restaurant serves home-style Southern fare: fried fish dinners and sandwiches, blackened or grilled fish, terrific chicken wings, veggie and turkey burgers, salads, and an array of house-baked desserts baked by Salaam’s mother.