Photo by Elsa Hahne.

What are you having?

The grilled chicken salad; I love it! I normally get this and the hummus with the pita.

And you prefer the chicken kebab over the chicken shawarma?

I do. I like that it’s grilled all the way around and still tender and juicy in the middle. I don’t eat seafood, I don’t eat pork, so I’m kind of limited to beef and chicken—so I love really good chicken.

Are you allergic to seafood?

I am. I ate so much as a kid, I think my body just had enough; we had these huge spreads with crawfish and shrimp and crab…

“Are you from here?!”—I get that a lot. Yes, I’m from here… An older gentleman told me, “Baby, don’t tell them you’re from here. Tell them you’re from Jersey.” What? I can’t even be from here [and not eat seafood]?! [laughs]