Sam’s Mediterranean Deli & Cafe features tastes of the Middle East, with some twists

To paraphrase the “Cheers” theme song, every restaurant patron deserves a delicious local spot where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came.

In Rohnert Park, Sam’s Mediterranean Deli & Café is one such spot.

The café, which now more than 15 years old, was founded and is owned and operated by one man — Samer “Sam” Hourania. And after constantly hustling for business from the heart of a relatively nondescript industrial park, Hourania finally has made a name for himself as a great cook who makes people feel good.

For Hourania, 43, the deli is the culmination of a dream to work in the food industry, a lifelong effort to share with customers the flavors and traditions of his native Syria.

“I try to make people happy through food,” he said. “It might sound simple, but it is important to me.”

Sam’s was born back in 2005. Hourania had been living in Napa at the time and was looking for a restaurant he could buy and take over. He and his father were prepared to buy a restaurant anywhere. Serendipitously, they found the current location at the back of the industrial park between Graton Rancheria Casino and Rebounderz. The owner was willing to sell. The deal came together quickly.

Hourania was no stranger to restaurant work at the time; since arriving from Syria in 2000 he had helped his cousin operate his own restaurant business in and around San Francisco. Hourania also logged some time working the deli department at various Safeway locations around the Bay.

“I spent the first few years learning English and getting work experience in the food industry,” he recalled. “By 2005, I knew I was ready.”

One of the things that appealed to Hourania about the location of his deli was the fact that it came with a ready-made customer base — all the other businesses in the industrial park. Hourania set out to win over those customers first, emphasizing service above all else. He built his menu around education, slowly introducing customers to Mediterranean food, offering free samples along the way.

Gradually, word got out that the new deli with the bald guy from Syria was worth visiting.

“A lot of people who came in here at first didn’t really know what Mediterranean food was — they were like, shawarma what?” Hourania joked. “Once they try my food, I watch their faces and their faces say everything. They open eyes wide. Their bellies start talking back. Suddenly they say, ‘I like that!’”

Fan favorites

Technically speaking, the menu at Sam’s would be considered Mediterranean fusion. Yes, there are Middle Eastern classics such as falafel, shawarma, dolma, and baba ganoush. But Hourania also has woven some of these classics into treatments from other cuisines.

Perhaps the best example of this mashup is Hourania’s chicken shawarma wrap. He makes the shawarma himself, using 16 different spices to create the inimitable flavor. But instead of serving the shawarma in a pita as it would normally be served, he folds it into a sort of lavash quesadilla, made with mozzarella cheese.

The resulting dish has the flavors of shawarma with the familiar consistency of a Mexican classic.

“It got to a point where I was trying different things and people really liked this one,” Hourania said. He added that this dish is by far one of the most popular on his menu.

Other favorite dishes include the tri-tip sandwiches on Dutch crunch (these are specials on Tuesdays and Thursdays), and the barbecued chicken sandwich with melted pepper jack, which Hourania serves on Fridays.

Hourania makes traditional Italian-style sub sandwiches. He also serves baklava, a traditional Middle Eastern dessert; these goodies are made by his cousin.

It’s also worth noting that Hourania doesn’t have a vertical rotisserie, so his gyro sandwich and gyro plate feature finely sliced pieces of lamb and beef. Most of these chunks are no larger than the size of the name Hourania in this sentence. They might look different than traditional gyro meat, but they taste just as good. For hungry customers, that’s really all that matters.

Loyal following

To say Sam’s has amassed a cult following would be an understatement. Across the neighborhood, around all of Rohnert Park, customers have universally positive feedback about Sam’s and the food Hourania prepares.

Mike Tunick, a self-proclaimed “hummus snob” who brags about having gone to Israel many times, said Sam’s has “the best hummus this side of the Middle East.” Tunick went so far as to cater his Dec. 31, 2019, wedding with food from Sam’s.

“We could have spent way more money with a bigger name wedding catering company but everything Sam’s did for our wedding was fabulous,” said Tunick, who is a certified legal video specialist at his own company, Tunick Video. “His food is first-rate, on par with similar fancier places you might find in big cities.”

Robin Reynolds, director of operations at CA Design, agreed.

Reynolds said her favorite dishes include the falafel plates, the mushroom quesadilla, and Mediterranean veggie pizza.

“Sam is always working hard, with a smile on his face and friendship for everyone who walks through his door,” Reynolds wrote in a recent email. “I don’t know how he does it, but I always feel better after a stop there.”

Jim Kensinger, vice president of Miller and Elwood Concrete, is a fan.

Kensinger said he has worked in the industrial park where Sam’s is located for more than 30 years, and noted that he has seen numerous tenants in the space that Hourania’s deli now sits. He added that Sam’s has “by far” been the best of the bunch, and that he frequents the deli on a regular basis, if not once a week.

“The more Middle Eastern stuff is an adventure for me, and never disappointing,” Kensinger said. “Even the more traditional American food is done with a touch of creativity.”

What’s next

Reviews like these make Hourania proud; enduring the COVID-19 pandemic has been a slog.

As all of Sonoma County moves forward into 2021, he said the biggest challenge he’s facing right now is staffing. He’s struggling to find people who are willing to work when they can continue to collect unemployment, and is struggling to identify qualified people who are willing to cover the hours he needs.

Because he is the sole employee right now, Hourania recommends customers order ahead online at samsmeddeli.com or by phone at 707-584-0220 to help cut down on wait times, which can be longer at lunchtime.

Another ongoing challenge, of course: Staying afloat in an economy that continues to underperform against pre-pandemic norms.

Hourania’s menu was up to 45 items before the pandemic began, and he’s navigated the last 14 months with fewer than half that many options. He downsized to make it easier to navigate service by himself. Looking forward, with continued support from customers, he said he can see gradually expanding the offerings to pre-pandemic levels once again.

He also said he envisioned branching out to farmers’ markets—when the time is right.

Hourania acknowledged that his deli couldn’t have survived the pandemic without consistent support and take-out orders from his most loyal customers, near and far.

“I’d like to thank all the customers, friends, families who have supported us all these years and specially with the pandemic crazy times,” he said. “Without their love and care, we wouldn’t be standing and serving our delicious food today.”