Students miss popular vendor

Careful observers may have noticed a marked decline in the amount of hummus consumed on campus. This shortage can possibly be attributed to the absence of Rami's Lebanese Luncheonette on 40th Street. The popular campus food truck was struck by a car speeding through a red light at the intersection of 58th and Spruce streets two weeks ago. It was flipped on its side and its owner, Sami Dakko of Havertown, suffered back and neck injuries, a broken finger and various abrasions. The truck's left side is now smashed and Dakko is in physical therapy. The popular Middle Eastern food truck has inhabited the same spot for 10 years, according to Dakko. And he said he wants to come back as soon as possible. "Sure I'm going to come back," he said. "This is my living. I have nothing else to do. If I could, I'd be back tomorrow." Dakko said, however, that because of the length of time it takes for his insurance company to pay for the repairs to his truck, he does not know when he will return. Joe Casey, of Joe and Barbara's Food Simplistic lunch truck on 40th Street in between Spruce and Locust streets, said that Sami comes to visit and keep up with his clientele every few days. And Pete Karalis, of Pete's Food Truck said he is sorry that Sami is hurt and talks to him every day on the cellular phone he keeps in his truck. "I miss him," he said. "He's my good friend." Students are also feeling the loss of Rami's Luncheonette and its Middle Eastern cuisine. College senior Beth Tritter used to eat at Rami's every day, and has been looking for the truck ever since its disappearance. "They're the nicest people," she said. "They know me by name. Their falafel is the best outside of the Middle East. I even went to the other falafel guy once and I feel like a traitor." Wharton sophomore Jed Prevor also said he misses Rami's "really good food." "I was wondering why they weren't there anymore because they were very popular on this side of campus and they always had a line," he said. "People in my house thought that he went on a vacation in the Middle East."

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