Mideastwiches: The best of the Mediterranean on bread or pita

To Madison diners spoiled by such restaurants as Husnu's (547 State St., 608-256-0900), the words "Middle Eastern" and "Mediterranean" conjure up smoky visions of big plates heavily laden with seared lamb, couscous, hummus, and tomato-flecked cracked wheat salad. But these flavors come in sandwich form, too, and three local eateries offer neat packages to change up that boring turkey grinder you eat every day.

Lulu's Deli And Restaurant (2524 University Ave., 608-233-2172)
Lulu's daily lunch specials are pretty exotic for things that look like sandwiches. Shawarma is a marinated and broiled spiced beef, which is packed into a pita pocket here and topped with onions, tomatoes, and sliced cucumber. Drizzle on the side of yogurt sauce—a puree of garlic, salted yogurt, and lemon juice—for extra punch.

Kabul Restaurant (541 State St., 608-256-6322)
Kabul's lamb pita jams rough-hewn chunks of fragrant, delicately spiced meat in with grill-charred green pepper, cherry tomatoes, and mint yogurt sauce. After chewing off the top layer, you can fold it up into its bread enclosure and eat it like an over-sized taco. Yet this is not a fast-food gyro sandwich (for one, it takes a while to get your order), so a sit-down meal is logical and even affords a view of State Street foot traffic, plus the fun of experimenting with subtle red and green sauces in silver tureens at each table.

Oliva (745 N. High Point Rd., 608-831-7776)
It's worth the trek to eat Oliva's Mediterranean calzone, a giant baked slab of bread stuffed with seasoned spinach, feta, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese. On top of the flavors, this behemoth challenges even the most gluttonous among us—The A.V. Club suggests cutting this one in half and saving the rest for later.