Yatagan Kebab House – formerly at 104 Macdougal St., New York, NY 10012

The space may be miniscule, but this Middle Eastern eatery compensates for its limited seating (five tables) with impressive portions of falafel, hummus, meat and chicken kebabs, spinach pie, and stuffed grape leaves. Most customers ignore the dimly lit, tin-ceilinged space at the back for the takeout window, which serves mammoth plates of assembly-line fare. Entrées come as both masterfully-wrapped pita sandwiches or loaded on platters, well-dressed with olives, onions, and yogurt sauce. Swashbuckling urbanites, take note “Yatagan” means “sword” in Turkish, and there’s some pretty tasty knife work up front, where portions are deftly sliced off the basting wheel.

Yatagan does have a chick pea or two to sling at its neighbor. Their sandwich is bigger than Mamoun’s—34 of a pita compared to 23. Also, while Mamoun’s stuffs their falafel into the bottom of the pita and puts lettuce, tomato, and sauce on top, Yatagan mixes it all in together, so you get a bit of everything in each bite.

Me and my kids do miss the place.