If you love Allan’s Falafel in Chester, it’s time to celebrate. The popular Orange County eatery, which has made a name for itself with its authentic Israeli cuisine, is launching a new restaurant in the Galleria at Crystal Run in Middletown. Called Allan’s Mediterranean Grill, the dining destination is set to open in April 2019.
It all began when Allan Abbad, owner and chef of Allan’s Falafel (which won Best Food Truck in our 2018 Best of Hudson Valley Awards), received a call from the Galleria at Crystal Run asking if he would like to expand his business into Middletown. After the mall gave him a deal that was hard to decline, Abbad took the opportunity to develop his nine-year business in a location that will bring a lot of foot traffic.
“I want customers to walk out with an unbelievable experience,” says Abbad. “Something they never tried.”
According to Abbad, Allan’s Mediterranean Grill will serve some of the same Israeli dishes that appear on the Chester menu. Most of the items, however, will be new.
“We are putting more vegan and vegetarian dishes on the menu” says Abbad. “But we will still be serving meat dishes, like lamb chops and couscous with various proteins.”
The menu will also feature dishes from different cultures, such as Moroccan, Middle Eastern, and North African.
In addition to new menu items, the restaurant will add a full bar and expand in size. It will seat about 145 guests inside and, during the warmer months, the patio will seat an additional 50. The restaurant is located on the second floor of the Galleria, between Macy’s and Fuji Steakhouse.
Abbad will have much more freedom when it comes to expanding the menu, thanks to the immense amount of space and storage areas he has at the new location.
“Middletown is an area that has a lot of businesses, hotels, and attractions,” explains Abbad. “We are excited to be in an area that will bring in a lot of guests from all over the Hudson Valley and beyond.”
