Mitch Aldawsari and the secret to Real Falafel

In just under a year, Mitch Aldawsari has set up Real Falafel stalls in the Central Market and Plant 4 Bowden and can be found at events such as WOMADelaide. But he wants the brand to have a national presence.

“We will try and make it a franchise around Australia and make it an Australian brand,” Aldawsari says. There are also plans for a café. “We are working with one of the real estate agents to make our own café, Real Falafel Café, which will be a bit of everything,” he says. “It will represent the Middle East in a good way. I’m trying to represent Middle Eastern culture through food.”

From Saudi Arabia, Aldawsari came to Australia as a refugee.

“I came here in 2015, I ran away from there [Saudi Arabia] looking for freedom, and looking for peace,” he says. “I came to Australia and I found peace actually. I am glad to be here, being in South Australia is something really special. I appreciate every single day I am in Australia.”

Aldawsari worked long hours when he got here.

“I started [to work] as a dishy and went from dishy to kitchen-hand and then I started working in a chicken factory as a cleaner,” he says. “Through that experience I saved a lot of money and worked hard, like 18 hours a day. I pushed myself to work hard, because I had a goal, passion.”

That goal was to open Real Falafel, which he opened in the Central Market in April 2018.

“Now we are doing very well, we have our food truck going around the city and out to Flinders University, so we are trying to be a franchise around Australia. We’re focussed on being an Australian brand selling good Middle Eastern food.”

Known for his falafels, which you can have in pita bread or bowl with salad, hummus, pickles, tahini and fried potato, Aldaswari’s deep-fried Middle Eastern and vegetarian staple is vibrant, fresh and crunchy.

“Green inside, crunchy outside,” Aldaswari says of his falafels. “It’s not dry because of the quality of ingredients we use. The good thing I want to mention is it’s 100 per cent South Australian, we use chick peas from SA, our herbs are from SA, all our vegetables are from SA, which we are proud of. The product is 100 per cent South Australian.”

With Australia developing a taste for Middle Eastern food, Aldaswari believes it is a good time to expand.

“This is why I want to open more stores because I see that people appreciate my food, and I’m glad that people are happy with it, and this is why we will try and expand.”

Real Falafel
22a Central Market Arcade
facebook.com/realfalafel