Story and photos by Matthew Michaelis
Zac Shabtai is the owner of this locally well-known little take away / eat-in. He honoured an Offer (the previous owner) by purchasing the eatery three years ago. Yami’s, the name itself, has no real significance. ‘It was named after a friend of Offer’s kid’, Zac told me. Personally, I tell people from out of town who like falafel to come here when in Brunswick Heads, and they never fail to repeat the name as ‘Yummy’. A good association I should think.
Originally a cafe owner from Melbourne, Zac moved up five years ago. Born in Israel, he grew up with a Jewish mumma that loved to serve her family food and lots of it. Naturally, a mother has plenty of influence over her children, and Zac, as a result of his foodie upbringing, is twenty years a veteran in the hospitality industry.
‘I’m passionate about food and growing up with large groaning tables of the stuff helped. I’m so grateful that I can work and make a living in such a beautiful place as this’, Zac said. ‘People love the fresh and the healthy; it’s fast food that’s good for you; you can’t escape healthy goodness in a pocket,’ Zac added.
Here, as in all well-patronised takeaways, the food has a good turnover – this means it’s going to be fresh anyway. Pockets are stuffed at your bidding – combos of falafel, hummus, tahini, Israeli salad, tabouli, salsa, lettuce, pickles, pita and the optional chilli of course.
A plate of dips and salads is on offer too, complete with dips of hummus, baba ganoush, salsa, falafel, mixed pickles, olives and a house-made chilli (schoog). Brekkie, lunch and take-home dinner all come out of this kitchen.
Yami
Eat in / takeaway. 7.30am to 3pm
Mon–Fri, 7.30am to 4pm Sat–Sun
2/1 Park Street, Brunswick Heads. Ph: 6685 0186.
