Hidden gem with lovely owner, Saeeda, and a few specialty treats you won't easily find elsewhere! This is a super tiny but neat and clean one-person operation inside the lobby of 205 S. Whiting Street. It's an office building, so it follows those hours Monday-Saturday.
I had just come from Labcorp and had been fasting -needed to eat and ordered a no-frills egg and cheese sandwich cooked panini style. It was good. What caught my eye, though, were the lentil sambusas. They looked super fresh and I asked who made them -Saeeda said she makes them and also the delectable looking chocolate sweets displayed on the counter. The sweets looked professional and polished -Saeeda gave a free sample to some customers behind me and they bought more and were raving about it. Being diabetic I had to pass, but they looked mouthwatering. Those same customers said they always stop in when they are near S. Whiting Street just to get the lentil sambusas.
I bought 4 and tried one still warm when I got home. Let me tell you, I know a lot about samosas / sambusas -these were amazing and reasonably priced. They were lightly fried but very crisp and flaky (maybe phyllo dough) and not greasy. The lentils were so well seasoned but not overly so, nor were they salty or spicy -just the right balance of various spices and the cumin came through but not overwhelming. The lentils were not at all mushy and very well cooked -just right. You really need to go there just to get these wonderful homemade sambusas to go -and there's plenty of free parking and a few tables and chairs in the lobby if you want eat there. Like seriously... so flavorful and yummy. If you try, you'll come back.
The menu, like the shop, is small -bagel/cream cheese, a few sandwiches, chips, smoothies, various cold drinks, apples, bannanas, packaged snacks/sweets, and the wonderful sambusas and sweets made by Saeeda herself. I'd like to point out that she seemed to be a master of coffee (there's tea also), including Turkish and Arabic coffee. Everyone was getting specialty hot or iced coffee plus something else. I heard one of the customers mention Yemini coffee, too.
I only met Saeeda today and it was my first time patronizing her little place. I don't normally write long reviews anywhere for anyone unless they are great. Even as I write, I am very sick and in tremendous pain today... but my little stop at the Coffee Room this afternoon was so pleasant. I really like this woman enrepreneur -such a sweet person and making the most of her tiny business. I truly wish her well and just had to let others know about her homemade savory and sweet treats. read more