Overstuffed pitas satisfy in west Midtown

At Mediterranean restaurants, it’s tempting to overorder, and get an extra side of falafel. That’s why the MacDougal sandwich at Mamoun’s Falafel, a Mediterranean chain from New York, makes such a great meal — the falafel already is included in the shawarma pita.

Lamb shawarma, falafel and all the traditional Mediterranean sandwich accouterments might sound like a lot to fit inside one pita, but the kitchen staff at Mamoun’s clearly are experts when it comes to sandwich construction. Their deceptively small pitas come stuffed with a prodigious amount of food — in the case of the MacDougal, an extremely generous portion of lamb shawarma and three whole falafel. The shawarma is well-seasoned with warm spices, and the falafel provides good textural contrast. There’s also a telltale bite of cracked coriander.

With plenty of crisp, fresh vegetables, and a lip-smacking tahini sauce to tie it all together, the MacDougal is close to the ideal pita sandwich. In this case, the lamb shawarma and falafel are two good things that come together to make something even better.