{"id":57138,"date":"2021-03-03T01:00:12","date_gmt":"2021-03-03T07:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138"},"modified":"2024-02-17T11:10:44","modified_gmt":"2024-02-17T17:10:44","slug":"mama-zahira-foodies-albuquerque-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138","title":{"rendered":"Mama Zahira Foodies – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"<\/a>
My Friend Bruce “Sr Plata” Silver Stands by Mama Zahira Foodies Awaiting Authentic Middle Eastern Food<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

FROM THE BITE<\/strong>:\u00a0 “In Albuquerque alone, there are too many places doing falafel for us to dine at them in quick succession. That\u2019s despite the Wacky Iraqi<\/a>\u2019s temporary relocation to Michigan (he tells us he hopes to return in a few years).<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s so easy to be judgmental, to take things at face value…to assume.\u00a0 As my f<\/span>riend Bruce “Sr. Plata” Silver and I approached Mama Zahira Foodies’ order window, we espied the self-deprecating term “The Wacky Iraqi in Albuquerque<\/em>” scrawled by the vehicle’s rear wheel well.\u00a0 The term “wacky” made us wary.\u00a0 It’s just not a term we associate with great food.\u00a0 <\/span>No sooner had we reached the window when we were greeted by Riadh Seheem, a thickly accented, very gregarious gentleman who couldn’t wait to tell us about his food truck.\u00a0 Talking a mile a minute with the unfettered enthusiasm of a child at Christmas, he raved about his truck’s menu.\u00a0 Yes, it would have been far too easy to be judgmental, but what a mistake that would have been.<\/span><\/p>\n

A quote from French emperor and brilliant military strategist Napoleon Bonaparte now comes to mind and it has nothing to do with an enemy’s tendencies in battle.\u00a0 That quote reduces Napoleon from conqueror of most of Europe to compassionate philosopher: \u201cTo understand the man you have to know what was happening in the world when he was twenty<\/em>.\u201d Wow!\u00a0 When some of us were in our twenties, we were still reeling from teenage angst, applying pimple medication by the trowel and trying to navigate adulthood.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“The Wacky Iraqi” Is One Great Guy!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When he was in his twenties, Riadh witnessed more horrors than any human should have to see in a thousand lifetimes.\u00a0 He observed man’s inhumanity to man in ways most of us could not fathom, experiencing the traumatizing ravages of war in a very close-up and personal manner.\u00a0 Riadh’s hometown of Baghdad, Iraq was at ground zero for several very intense wars which laid waste to the city and killed tens of\u00a0 thousands of citizens.\u00a0 Diseases spread through contaminated drinking water because water purification and sewage treatment facilities could not operate without electricity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Riadh wasn’t a soldier.\u00a0 He was a pediatrician, treating the most vulnerable population in the most unimaginable and tragic conditions conceivable.\u00a0 Sadness revisits him every time he reflects on those times, especially when he recalls having dispensed medication to treat dying children then seeing parents selling that medication on the black market so they could feed the family.\u00a0 He tenses up when speaking of parents asking for death certificates to be issued for ailing children so that they could receive a small stipend of food and cigarettes from the government.\u00a0 He shudders at the memories of having treated cholera, typhus and malnutrition as open sewage mixed with the city’s water system.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Falafel Homemade Pita Bread<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Knowing there was no way the government of Iraq would allow a doctor to leave the country, Riadh paid a small fortune for forged papers indicating he was actually a car salesman.\u00a0 Eventually he was able to make his escape to Jordan.\u00a0 When he finally got a green card and \u00a0made it to America, his medical credentials weren’t accepted. \u00a0He had to work at McDonald’s, Jack In The Box and a carwash to make ends meet and feed his family. \u00a0In time he secured the credentials needed to practice medicine in the states. \u00a0 he then worked at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; La Quinta, California; Seattle, Washington and finally at Presbyterian Healthcare in Albuquerque.\u00a0 He’s been in New Mexico for 14 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

As he approached his 60s Riadh made the decision to leave medicine and pursue more “sedate” activities.\u00a0 In 2020 he drove to Virginia where he purchased a food truck.\u00a0 Though he planned to drive the truck back to New Mexico, it was in no condition to be driven nearly that far. \u00a0Worse, most of the motor and internal combustion components were rusty courtesy of the salty air. \u00a0He wound up spending more than $40,000 to have the truck transported to New Mexico and effecting necessary repairs, a bargain considering a new truck would have cost over $100,000.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Combo Dish<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Today on most weekdays, you’ll find Mama Zahira Foodies parked at the Mariposa Basin Park about a hundred feet from a duck pond where dozens of dabbling mallards swim contently. \u00a0 A number of picnic tables, including one beneath a shaded canopy, offer a peaceful place for your repast. \u00a0It’s a peaceful milieu, the antithesis of the mean streets of Baghdad. \u00a0During our second visit, we encountered Riadh sitting on a comfortable lounge chair reading a book. \u00a0As we’ve discovered, there’s a depth and spirituality to this “wacky Iraqi” we might have missed had we given in to judgmental inclinations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also in evidence is an empathic spirit–perhaps part of the nurturing nature all great doctors possess. \u00a0Emblazoned on the food truck is an invitation you rarely see: “If you don’t have money, come in and grab a sandwich free<\/em>.” \u00a0 Riadh means it. \u00a0He’s happy to give a hand up to down-on-their-luck passers-by who can’t pay for a meal. \u00a0Even if you can<\/em> afford your meal, don’t be surprised if he gives you a sample of the special of the day or maybe the falafel he just prepared. \u00a0This is a man you can’t help but like, a rare gem of a person. \u00a0As you may have surmised, Mama Zahira is his his 82-year-old mother whom he praises lavishly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Baba Ghanooj with fried pita bread chips<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

24 February 2021<\/strong>: He’s also quite the salesman, describing his food in such glowing terms that you’re going to want to try one or more of everything. \u00a0He categorizes his food rather broadly–as “meat” and “not meat.” \u00a0Among the not meat items is an item called falafel homemade pita bread<\/strong><\/em>, an eight-inch crescent shaped pita bread stuffed with five falafel (made from chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, jalape\u00f1os) and a pickled vegetable salad (five different peppers) all slathered with a mango sauce. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There’s no cholesterol, no trans-fat, no dairy or animal product only lots of flavor and it’s all outstanding. \u00a0Seriously, the falafel might be the very best I’ve ever had. \u00a0It’s certainly got more personality than any other courtesy of mixed peppers and seasonings that imbue it with a liveliness and moistness rare in falafel. \u00a0In fact, the entire sandwich is replete with personality. \u00a0The mango sauce is wholly unlike what you might expect with the sweet floral flavor of mangoes taking a backseat to more assertive Middle Eastern flavors. \u00a0 It’s so addictive you’ll want to slather it on everything.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Beef Kabob Burrito<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3 March 2021<\/strong>: A five-item combo plate showcases Riadh’s culinary talents moreso than any other menu item. \u00a0Described on Mama Zahira’s website as “fulfilling and delicious<\/em>” (and that’s selling it short), the combo plate<\/strong><\/em> includes flavored basmati rice, two sheesh kabob, hummus, falafel and fresh salad. \u00a0Not since the Rolling Stones has there been such a great quintet. \u00a0The two sheesh kabob are about six-inches long with grill marks evident. \u00a0The meat is tender and lean with notes of complex seasonings that characterize great Middle Eastern food. \u00a0The hummus has creamy, melt-in-your-mouth properties. \u00a0It’s rich and garlicky, making a nice dip for the falafel (and you already know how much I loved that). \u00a0The simple salad (parsley, tomatoes, onions, cucumber with a light, tangy dressing) is refreshing and tasty. \u00a0The basmati rice is light and fluffy with a nice\u00a0mouth-feel and taste. \u00a0This is the item all diners of the carnivorous persuasion should order their first visit.<\/span><\/p>\n

24 February 2021<\/strong>: Baba Ghan’ooj, an eggplant dish is almost as fun to say as it is to eat, but just try spelling it correctly. \u00a0Usually enjoyed as a dip or appetizer with pita bread, this creamy, smoky dip is often compared to hummus and indeed there are common ingredients. \u00a0Baba ghan’ooj<\/strong><\/em> is made with eggplant, tahini, lemon juice and garlic while hummus is made with garbanzo beans. \u00a0The rest of the ingredients in hummus are essentially the same as those in baba ghan’ooj. \u00a0Flavor-wise, it makes a big difference. \u00a0Baba ghan’ooj has an earthy flavor while hummus is more nutty. \u00a0Riadh’s version is superb though it would be even better with soft pita instead of the seasoned pita chips.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Baklava<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3 March 2021<\/strong>: Riadh has obviously embraced elements of the Land of Enchantment’s unique culinary culture. \u00a0You won’t find red or green chile in every dish, but you will find green chile on the New Mexico style breakfast burrito. \u00a0Even without green chile, New Mexicans should embrace the beef kabob burrito<\/strong><\/em>, a twelve-inch pita rolled and stuffed with beef sheesh kabob, a vegetable salad (cucumber, tomato, parsley, cilantro, onion, jalape\u00f1o), thin onion slices, and smothered with sumac and a garlic white sauce. \u00a0It’s not only an innovating of two great culinary cultures, it’s one of the best burritos we’ve had in a while.<\/span><\/p>\n

3 March 2021<\/strong>: Mama Zahira offers only two desserts. \u00a0One is Izlabia, a unique Middle Eastern version of a funnel cake. \u00a0Instead of being drizzled with powdered sugar, this funnel cake\u00a0is filled with sweet syrup that includes rose water and lemon juice. \u00a0The other dessert is a walnut baklava<\/strong><\/em>,\u00a0sheets of phyllo dough, brushed with butter and layered with a crumble made of walnuts, cinnamon and (usually) sugar, all poured over with sugar syrup. \u00a0 Though my preference has always been for pistachio baklava, this is a very good one.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just like the aforementioned baklava, there are many layers to Mama Zahira’s owner Riadh Seheem, a man who’s survived life’s vicissitudes to find inner peace, a little wackiness and a food truck from which he prepares and serves food with a depth of flavor not often found.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mama Zahira Foodies<\/strong>
\nLocation Varies
\nAlbuquerque, New Mexico<\/strong>
\nLATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 3 March 2021
\n1st VISIT<\/strong>: 24 February 2021
\n# OF VISITS<\/strong>: 2
\nRATING<\/strong>: 23
\nCOST<\/strong>: $$
\nBEST BET<\/strong>: Baba Ghan’noj, Falafel Homemade Pita Bread, Baklava, Beef Kabob Burrito, Combo Dish
\nREVIEW #1209<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FROM THE BITE:\u00a0 “In Albuquerque alone, there are too many places doing falafel for us to dine at them in quick succession. That\u2019s despite the Wacky Iraqi\u2019s temporary relocation to Michigan (he tells us he hopes to return in a few years). It’s so easy to be judgmental, to take things at face value…to assume.\u00a0 As my friend Bruce “Sr. Plata” Silver and I approached Mama Zahira Foodies’ order window, we espied the self-deprecating term “The Wacky Iraqi in Albuquerque” scrawled by the vehicle’s rear wheel well.\u00a0 The term “wacky” made us wary.\u00a0 It’s just not a term we associate with great food.\u00a0 No sooner had we reached the window when we were greeted by Riadh Seheem, a thickly accented,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":57197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440,2583,731,262,696,141],"tags":[830,827,831,829,828,826],"class_list":["post-57138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-albuquerque","category-closed-in-2023","category-food-truck","category-closed","category-middle-eastern","category-new-mexico","tag-baba-ghanooj","tag-falafel","tag-food-truck","tag-hummus","tag-pita","tag-wacky-iraqui"],"yoast_head":"\nMama Zahira Foodies - Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED) - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mama Zahira Foodies - Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED) - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"FROM THE BITE:\u00a0 “In Albuquerque alone, there are too many places doing falafel for us to dine at them in quick succession. That\u2019s despite the Wacky Iraqi\u2019s temporary relocation to Michigan (he tells us he hopes to return in a few years). It’s so easy to be judgmental, to take things at face value…to assume.\u00a0 As my friend Bruce “Sr. Plata” Silver and I approached Mama Zahira Foodies’ order window, we espied the self-deprecating term “The Wacky Iraqi in Albuquerque” scrawled by the vehicle’s rear wheel well.\u00a0 The term “wacky” made us wary.\u00a0 It’s just not a term we associate with great food.\u00a0 No sooner had we reached the window when we were greeted by Riadh Seheem, a thickly accented,…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nmgastronome\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-03-03T07:00:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-02-17T17:10:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/MamaZahira11-scaled.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1966\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Gil Garduno\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Gil Garduno\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=57138#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=57138\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Gil Garduno\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf\"},\"headline\":\"Mama Zahira Foodies – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-03-03T07:00:12+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-02-17T17:10:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=57138\"},\"wordCount\":1766,\"commentCount\":4,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=57138#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/03\\\/MamaZahira11-scaled.jpeg\",\"keywords\":[\"Baba Ghan'ooj\",\"Falafel\",\"Food Truck\",\"Hummus\",\"Pita\",\"Wacky Iraqui\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Albuquerque\",\"Closed in 2023\",\"Food Truck\",\"Gone But Not Forgotten\",\"Middle Eastern\",\"New Mexico\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=57138#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=57138\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nmgastronome.com\\\/?p=57138\",\"name\":\"Mama Zahira Foodies - 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That\u2019s despite the Wacky Iraqi\u2019s temporary relocation to Michigan (he tells us he hopes to return in a few years). It’s so easy to be judgmental, to take things at face value…to assume.\u00a0 As my friend Bruce “Sr. Plata” Silver and I approached Mama Zahira Foodies’ order window, we espied the self-deprecating term “The Wacky Iraqi in Albuquerque” scrawled by the vehicle’s rear wheel well.\u00a0 The term “wacky” made us wary.\u00a0 It’s just not a term we associate with great food.\u00a0 No sooner had we reached the window when we were greeted by Riadh Seheem, a thickly accented,…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138","og_site_name":"Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/nmgastronome\/","article_published_time":"2021-03-03T07:00:12+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-02-17T17:10:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1966,"url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/MamaZahira11-scaled.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Gil Garduno","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Gil Garduno","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138"},"author":{"name":"Gil Garduno","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#\/schema\/person\/423b9c3eeeb199e43ab4f1f584fa67bf"},"headline":"Mama Zahira Foodies – Albuquerque, New Mexico (CLOSED)","datePublished":"2021-03-03T07:00:12+00:00","dateModified":"2024-02-17T17:10:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138"},"wordCount":1766,"commentCount":4,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/MamaZahira11-scaled.jpeg","keywords":["Baba Ghan'ooj","Falafel","Food Truck","Hummus","Pita","Wacky Iraqui"],"articleSection":["Albuquerque","Closed in 2023","Food Truck","Gone But Not Forgotten","Middle Eastern","New Mexico"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138","url":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=57138","name":"Mama Zahira Foodies - 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