Two Detroit chefs and food storytellers are teaming up to make Arab tacos for 313 Day.
Made with pita bread, shawarma meat, garlic sauce, a chipotle salsa, cilantro, onion and lime, chefs Omar Anani and Carlos Parisi are making tacos Árabes, as an ode to the history of Arab-Mexican food influence for Detroit’s 313 Day. The March 13 event will take place at Anani’s Saffron De Twah, a Moroccan restaurant on Detroit’s east side and James Beard Award semi-finalist.
“Without Arabs, we wouldn’t have tacos the way that they’re known today,” said Parisi.
“And one taco that still very much exists in Mexico that talks to the history and the combination of both cultures is the taco Árabes,” added Parisi, owner of Mexican food line Aunt Nee’s and a local food storyteller.
In the early 1900s Arab immigrants moved to Mexico bringing traditions and food, including shawarma, meat roasted on a revolving spit, to create dishes like tacos al pastor (pork) and tacos de bistec (steak).
Parisi said he’s been wanting to collaborate for a while with acclaimed chef Anani, who is also the owner of Shaebi, a Palestinian food pop-up sharing stories through food. Tacos Árabes was a way for the two chefs to merge their histories and interests.
In 2022, Anani did a similar event, making a Mexican-style iftar meal to break fast during Ramadan.
In addition to the tacos Árabes, the 100% halal-menu will include tacos a la parrillada (cookout or barbeque tacos), fish tacos, and cactus salad. The chefs said they’ll be making tacos Wednesday the traditional way, with a shawarma spit.
For Wednesday’s event the chefs are offering a Ramadan special: one of each taco and salad on the side for $30 pre-order.
The tacos a la parrillada are also unique, said Anani, made crispy on both sides with caramelized cheese and stacked with chicken, onion, cilantro, and a creamy jalapeno and poblano salsa.
The chefs plan to donate the profits to families in Palestine, building on similar events Anani has been doing in recent months across the country. In February, Anani hosted a Palestinian dinner at restaurant Folk in Corktown, donating the profits to Anera, which provides humanitarian assistance to refugees in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan.
The 313 Tacos Árabes event takes place at Saffron De Twah, 7636 Gratiot Ave, Wednesday, March 13 from 4-8 p.m. Pre-orders for the Ramadan special can be made online.