Pita Pocket — Restaurant in Mount Laurel Township

A Shawarma Quest Gone Wrong

Tucked inside a gas station, beneath flickering fluorescent lights and the scent of unleaded ambition, lies a Middle Eastern eatery that at first glance whispers promises of hidden culinary treasure. One might imagine this to be a modern day cave of wonders, a secret trove of shawarma jewels guarded not by forty thieves, but perhaps by a tired grill and a disillusioned spit.

With eager anticipation, I entered this humble haunt, expecting sizzling slabs of lamb carved fresh from a glistening, rotating monument to meat. What I received, however, was more mirage than magic.

The service, leisurely and bordering on somnambulant, set the tone. My lamb shawarma arrived lukewarm, a tragic betrayal of its once promising appearance. Though it looked as though it had galloped straight out of a foodie's fantasy, the taste told a different tale: dry, overcooked, and devoid of the luscious seasoned succulence that shawarma should rightfully command. A culinary crime, really. If that lamb had been sitting there any longer, I would have needed carbon dating to confirm its age.

Even more mystifying was the presence of the rotating meat right in front of me, taunting, golden, glistening, yet somehow deemed unworthy of my plate. Instead, I was handed reheated relics from an earlier epoch, seasoned with apathy, I presume. As for the spice blend, let’s just say it had all the complexity of a glass of lukewarm tap water. Authenticity was not in attendance.

To their credit, the portions were generous, though quantity without quality is a hollow victory. I left not hungry, but undeniably unsatisfied.

In sum, this place may have the map, the cave, and even the lamp, but someone still needs to wish for flavor, freshness, and a little fire in the kitchen. There is potential here, buried deep, but for now, this treasure remains firmly...

Update: I returned to try the shawarma and this time around was met with extremely hostile service. I guess I got on the guy behind the counters bad side by politely asking for grilled veggies on my shawarma pita. It clearly says on the menu that it's included with this item (see picture) so I didn't think this was a crazy ask. He then tried to aggressively argue with me that it was a higher price for grilled veggies. Which honestly I wouldn't care if it was but it clearly states on your own menu that it's included and at what cost. He literally came around the counter to read his own menu because I guess... he didn't believe me? From there he glares at me while angrily making my pita and wouldn't let me pick what other ingredients I wanted. He put things on the two pitas I ordered without asking, and then completely ignored me when I asked for other things. Never coming here again. It's absolutely ridiculous to treat people this way, this was so unnecessary.

Original 5 star review below:

Destination dining hidden in a humble gas station.

A friendly gentleman behind the counter treated my coworker and I to a sample of their delightful freshly-made falafel dressed with a tasty white sauce and fresh herbs while we decided what to eat for lunch — true hospitality! I tried a chicken kebab pita and lentil soup, both were absolutely delicious. This place is punching way above its weight class in the gas station dining game. Loved the smokey flavor of the tender chicken, the garlic white sauce, and the crisp fresh veggies packed into the lightly roasted pita. My coworker had a pita with lamb and tahini and gave that two thumbs up as well. What a gem. Next time we're coming for...

Did this look suspicious when I searched for “food” while traveling for work? It did. A pita store inside a LUKEOIL gas station (what is that, I’m from Delaware??). But alas, the competing options were WaWa and Applebees - I’m much more of a risk taker than that, so Pita Pocket here I come.

Exterior: well-maintained but no thrills. Suspicion remains…

Interior: the floors were as clean as the St. Patrick’s church I recently visited. The product placement was perfect across each aisle.

But in the back stood the holy grail - the Pita Pocket. A menu curated for the hungry traveler with a well-ordained palette.

Behind the glass lies the freshest diced vegetables, stews and soup this side of the Mississippi. I ordered the chicken kabob pita sandwich and much to my surprise a perfectly seasoned chicken skewer was tossed over a fiery open flame.

Folks, get down here and get a pita. Holy smokes. The sandwich is just as saucy as the lady cooking it up.

Not to mention the staff and locals seemingly hanging out for a good time greeted me like I was a visiting Michelin judge.

5/5...