Bites Nearby: Middle Eastern Perfection at Max’s Café

On October 16, 1994, opened its doors in Wheaton, offering a Jewish dining experience to an area that had plenty of sandwich shops, but not a traditional, New York-style deli.

Max’s quickly became a local favorite. Just two years later, Max’s would make an addition that has become its signature: the falafel and shawarma bar.

“I’d say that about half of all of our business comes from the falafel bar,” said manager Harold Burke. “We get tour groups from all over the country that come to the DC-area and make their way out here to eat falafel and shawarma.”

Momi Houmran, who has worked in the food industry his whole life, came to the U.S. specifically to bring “the best falafel and shawarma in the world to Wheaton.”

“I met [second-generation owner] Larry in Israel, and he told me he wanted to start a falafel and shawarma,” said Houmran. “I came for a visit, with the intention to maybe stay, and am happy I did.” Houmran emigrated from his hometown of Haifa in 1995.

Virtually everything for the bar – from the spit-turned shawarma meat (alternating layers of turkey meat and lamb fat) to the 22 salads, sauces and toppings – is made by hand in a time-consuming process.

“It takes maybe 45 minutes to one hour to cut and spice the meat [for shawarma], then it sits overnight, then another 45 minutes to an hour to put it together,” remarked Houmran.

While waiting for the shawarma meat to marinate, Houmran and his assistant Kamal chop vegetables for salads and sandwich add-ons, make secret spice mixes for pickling and put a great deal of care into each and every item.

“Every single customer is so, so special to me. No matter how much or how little they spend, how big or small, they are still special to me,” Momi beamed.

Even the pita bread that barely contain his creations receives Momi’s attention. He works with Beltsville’s Middle East Bakery to produce the perfect pita, prescribing his desired size and thickness.

With such a large variety of toppings, it can be a bit daunting to choose, but Houmran is a student of people and human nature and is stunningly accurate in crafting sandwiches for customers. “I tell customers that if something is wrong, if they don’t like, I will fix it right away.”

A Cheshire cat-like grin spreads across Houmran’s face as he boasts, “It has never happened in all these years.”

 Houmran believes that his extensive experience working in both Israel and the U.S. has given him some keen insights that allow him to anticipate his customers’ tastes. In his years he has found that many Latinos do not care for tahini (a paste of ground sesame seeds) but like cabbage, while Indians typically like the more spicy sauces and toppings.

“I’ll ask where people are from, and where they have been to get an idea of what they might like, and there is nothing better than someone coming back in and asking me to make it the same exact way.”

Customers are fiercely loyal to the falafel and shawarma, some having personal parties catered by Max’s and others ascribing playful hyperbole to the Middle Eastern fare.

“He [Momi] does what Middle Eastern politicians haven’t been able to do, bring Jews and Arabs together,” said local law student Yitz Levin.

is open six days per week (closed Saturdays) and is located at 2319 University Blvd West.