By: Megan Clark Campus Life Editor
Baset Shagrun, co-owner of the food cart, is an international student from North Africa, who came to Western with his brother, the other co-owner.
Shagrun said he had difficulties finding a space to lease for his restaurant, so he decided to use a food trailer.
They are open until 3 a.m., meaning they stay open the latest out of the restaurants in Monmouth, which will serve night owls and late night partiers alike.
I purchased the lamb shawarma for $7, due to all other meat options being sold out.
They packed the pita, a soft flatbread, full of tender and savory meat to the point where I couldn’t feasibly bite into it, and it was hard to pick out pieces and eat them before being able to enjoy the meal in its entirety.
I also had and order of their hummus, which was as delicious as the main course.
The shawarma came with tomatoes, lettuce, and tahini sauce, though I asked for a side of tzatziki sauce- a cucumber, yogurt, and herb mixture- that was on par, if not better, than other tzatziki sauces I’ve had.
As the only food cart in Monmouth, Promise Mediterranean drew a lot of attention from local residents and students, successfully introducing the food cart trend that has been popularized in Portland.
On their opening day, they even had the mayor of Monmouth come out and sample their dishes.
Every time I have passed the trailer, there have always been people milling around, waiting for food, or sitting on a picnic bench and enjoying their meal.
Shagrun said, “We want to have great prices for students … because we are students as well.”
They wanted to open up a Mediterranean food cart to bring something new and different to Monmouth, and it seems they have succeeded.
