Steve A.
Yelp
It was a throwaway sentence in another review I wrote that got me here, some poor imitation of an Asian restaurant in the distant exurbs of Lowell. In response, I received an indignant personal message that there was, indeed, food to be found in the mill towns between Boston and Manchester, and I should start at the Egyptian Grill.
Well, Dirgni J., I listened, and you were right. This is one hell of a great find, and impossible if you don't have local insight. It's a couple of miles off I-495, tucked around a corner from sight of VFW Pkwy., just sitting in a nacelle by the campus of UMass-Lowell. I don't think it's ever moved from that spot, because it doesn't have to. It does a robust business serving quality Egyptian (Middle Eastern, in essence) food exactly as it is.
Starting with the first mandatory star that Yelp requires:
Second star: Value. You get a ton of food for a featherweight of money. This is built around the college budget.
Third star: Quality. The flavors are authentic. The meat is all protein, no gristle. There is no skimping of any kind.
Fourth star: Falafel. It's so good, it gets its own star. Having had some terrible falafel since, I miss Egyptian Grill all the more.
Fifth star: Service. It's not the quickest, but it's not all that slow either. And they take credit.
Dirgni J. also recommended Heng Lay to me. After the wondrousness of Egyptian Grill, I bet he's right. But it's going to be hard to eat somewhere besides this truck when I return to Lowell.