A new vendor is serving fresh, flavorful Middle Eastern fare – including sandwiches and platters – at Zocalo Food Park, 636 S. 6th St.
Grill Thrill is the name of the new business, which is operated by Abdul Tamo, his brother-in-law Adam Hariey and Ghaith “G” Zaher, an accomplished young chef who has worked in a variety of restaurants in both Egypt and Milwaukee.
Zaher heads up the kitchen, while Tamo handles the business side and maintenance for the truck, and Harley takes care of the financial end and marketing for the business.
“We all have our own roles in the business,” notes Tamo. “G is a great cook. His food is really good. I’ve worked in restaurants before and I’m good at mechanical things, so I handle a variety of random tasks. Meanwhile, Adam is a barber, so he knows everyone.”
The three friends have been hoping to start their own restaurant concept for the past couple of years. After a few false starts, they decided that launching a food truck would be the best way to introduce their modern Middle Easter cuisine to diners in Milwaukee. A chance meeting with Jesus Gonzalez, co-owner of Zocalo Food Truck Park, gave them a great location to debut their new concept.
On the menu
“I’ve always liked to cook,” says Zaher. “But I’ve never been one to stick with the basics. I’ve always made things my own way, and that’s something that really sets us apart. Our food has its basis in Middle Eastern cuisine, but influences in both techniques and ingredients from Mexico and America.”
And while that might seem antiintuitive, Mexico and the Middle East share commonalities in cuisine. The Levantine region’s influence on Mexico is clearly visible in dishes like Tacos al Pastor, which was likely introduced by Lebanese immigrants in the early 20th century and kibbeh, a Middle Eastern staple found in Mexican cuisine, particularly in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Mexican influence can be found in the flavorful housemade sauces, which include traditional Tahina Sauce and Garlic Sauce along with a zippy tomato-based hot sauce that resembles salsa and Hot Garlic Sauce. Be sure to order one or more to try with your meals. (The Tahina and Garlic Sauces are great with beef, while Garlic and Hot Sauce are great with chicken.)
From there, dishes range in price between $9-$20 and include a variety of Grilled Platters, which are served with a choice of rice, fries or salad (with Syrian dressing) and hummus. Protein choices include Aleppo Chicken, Aleppo Beef and Chicken or Beef Shish Grill.
Guests can also choose the Mixed Grill Platter which includes both Chicken and Beef Shish or a Beef Kebab Grill Platter featuring kebabs of seasoned ground beef (also served with a choice of rice, fries or salad and hummus).
Sandwiches, presented on tortillas much like a burrito, include choices of Chicken or Beef Shish, Beef Kebab, Aleppo Chicken or Beef and Falafel.
Sides include fries, rice, hummus, salad and “Papa Ghannouj”.
Grill Thrill also offers soft drinks like Coke and Mountain Dew along with lemonade, and lemonade flavored with strawberry, mango or pineapple.
“There aren’t very many Middle Eastern food trucks here in Milwaukee,’ notes Tamo, “So right now we are trying to establish a following. We hope to eventually open our own restaurant here in Milwaukee. But we’re using the truck to introduce our delicious style of food to the city.”
Grill Thrill is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Right now, orders can be placed for pick-up or delivery through DoorDash or GrubHub. The partners plan to add CashDrop and UberEats in the coming weeks.
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As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
