NOSH
DINING IN THE D

I 

woke up today with a 
craving for fava beans. 
Now that’s a sentence I 
never thought I’d write. It’s 
just that the seasoned beans 
(Fooul) I had the day before 
at KAL’S Lunch Bowl in Royal 
Oak were uncommonly tasty. 
The large beans were sautéed 
with strips of caramelized 
red onion and topped with a 
lemon juice and olive oil driz-
zle. Contented sigh.
KAL’S describes its deli-
cious cuisine as “Fresh 
Mediterranean Fusion.” The 
restaurant’s “Bowls” meals, the 
centerpiece of the menu, offer 
myriad possibilities. The din-
er’s choice of eight main items, 
including Fooul, is placed in 
a large bowl with a base of 
saffron rice, roasted vegeta-

bles or hummus. The bowl 
continues building by adding 
Fattoush, Greek, Tabbouleh or 
house salad; pickles or pickled 
turnips; and finally, a sauce: 
garlic, Amba (pureed pickled 
mango), hot Sriracha or mild 
ranch dressing. 
Starting at $11, the bowls 
top out at $15 for beef ten-
derloin kabob chunks. The 
other centerpieces are chicken 
breast, grilled or deep-fried 
and breaded as a chicken 
cream chop; chicken or beef 
shawarma (the most popular 
choices); Sujiq (also “Sujuk” 
or “Sucuk” — spicy beef and 
lamb sausage, sautéed with 
leeks), and Falafel (chickpea 
and veggie deep-fried frit-
ters). The same items can fill 
a wrap sandwich. Adding two 
eggs for $2 more creates “The 
Ultimate” Breakfast Bowl 
or Breakfast Wrap.

The acronym “KAL
” reflects 
the partners’ names. They 
are “K” for Kal Al-Amara, 
the restaurant’s Iraqi-born 
executive chef; “
A
” for his 
Chaldean-American wife, Chef 
Anna Al-Amara, an Oakland 
Community College culinary 
program graduate; “L
” for their 
daughter, Lorelai Al-Amara, 
5, and adorable; and “S” for 

Seymour Schwartz, a self-em-
ployed defense attorney for 43 
years. 
Schwartz, a longtime fan of 
Kal’s cooking at another restau-
rant, encouraged him to go into 
business together. The restau-
rant’s opening day was June 11, 
2021, on Anna’s birthday. 
“It’s been a wonderful col-
laboration,” said Schwartz, 

ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
KAL’S 
Lunch Bowl

Anna Al-Amara, Lorelei Al-Amara, 
 
Kal Al-Amara and Seymour Schwartz

ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER