Crowd Pleasers
Wednesday, 28 October 2026
The wrap up: creating a sell-out signature dish
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It’s called the O.G. for a reason. The top-selling dish at Melbourne’s Friends of Ours Café is a wrap that’s been on the menu longer than anyone can remember.
“The O.G. Chicken Wrap was the first thing I tried when I was interested in buying the business,” recalls co-owner Sel Kamel. “The previous owner recommended it, and when I tasted it, I knew this was a good café that cares about food, and cares about its customers. I was sold!”
Local favourite
Friends of Ours has been a local favourite on the North Essendon Village shopping strip since the day it opened in October 2012. Sel and his brother Ali took over three years ago, and kept the menu mostly the same, especially its two signature dishes – the O.G. and The Bomb, Friends of Ours’ take on avocado toast.
“Our chicken wrap is the biggest seller by far, there are people who come every day for it.” Sel says, adding that during September the café sold 179 O.G. chicken wraps, twice the sales of The Bomb at 92.
Secret spices
So what’s the appeal of this seemingly humble dish? Sel says it’s the alchemy of a generous portion of grilled chicken breast marinated in a signature blend of Moroccan spices, haloumi cheese, garlic mayonnaise, guacamole, tomato and lettuce – all wrapped in a Mission 12-inch Flour Tortilla.
“It’s a very healthy option, these days everyone is looking after their macros (protein, carbohydrates, fats) and this ticks all the boxes,” Sel explains. “And it is ready in less than 10 minutes, so it’s really quick to serve or takeaway.”
“Plus, our own special Moroccan spice mix gives it the X-factor, which you can’t get with a chicken wrap anywhere else. Combined with the grilled haloumi, it’s a game changer.”
It’s a very healthy option, these days everyone is looking after their macros and this ticks all the boxes
All-day wrapping
Friends of Ours also does a roaring trade in Brekky Wraps – Mission tortillas encasing a perfect combo of fried egg, bacon, spinach, cheese and house-made tomato relish. They make a convenient breakfast on-the-go with a takeaway coffee, being quick to make and easy to transport on the way to work or school.
“We make all our wraps fresh to order, but our Brekky Wrap sales increased once we started displaying a few in our fridge at the counter,” Sel says. “They sell all day, and the tradies love them!”
Wrap master at work
InSeason stepped into the kitchen to watch ‘the wrap master’ chef Mandip Gajurel at work. He says it’s important to warm up the wrap a little before adding the fillings, to relax the gluten and make it more stretchy.
Mandip also takes care to wrap with the tortilla’s softer layer facing inside to absorb moisture, while the harder outer side browns nicely and is less likely to tear.
“We only use Mission tortillas here,” Mandip says. “They are a good size and don’t fall apart like some other wraps.” The kitchen orders 12-inch Mission Flour Tortillas for the O.G. and Brekky Wrap, and the 6-inch tortillas for its popular crispy fried chicken tacos.
Mandip believes the spice flavour and generous portion of marinated chicken breast are the other reasons for the O.G.’s longtime success. “We use four big slices of chicken, so with the haloumi it’s a filling serving and our customers love it,” he says.
We only use Mission tortillas here, they are a good size and don’t fall apart like some other wraps
Quality comes first
At $19 the O.G. Chicken Wrap is great value, plus there’s an option to add a serve of chips or garden salad for $6 each, which is a good margin booster. But Sel admits it’s been a tough year for the business with a slower economy and diners on a tighter budget. In addition, the café is spending around $1000 a month more than last year on food.
“We’ve been trying to hold the line on prices as much as we can,” he says. “But now, with the credit card surcharge ban coming in on top of all the food price increases, I think we’ll have to take another look.
“The prices of chicken, avocados, haloumi… they have all gone through the roof and there’s not much you can do about it, when maintaining the quality is a priority. It’s called the O.G. for a reason, we can’t mess with it.”
Wellness trend
Over his years in the café industry Sel has seen trends come and go. “Right now we are seeing a big emphasis on health and wellbeing, and I think this will continue,” he says.
“There’s a big push for protein and our menu caters for that. But no one wants to sacrifice flavour, they want great taste in a nutritious meal.”
The Friends of Ours menu leans into the ongoing appeal of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours, with pops of chilli plus on-trend ingredients like pickles, chimichurri and Biscoff.
Right now we are seeing a big emphasis on health and wellbeing, and I think this will continue
Love and passion every day
Sel says his tip for café owners is to keep a tight menu with dishes that earn their keep. “And you have to know your customers and what they want,” he adds.
“We are lucky here in North Essendon, our locals are so supportive, and many are small business owners, so they know what it’s like and understand our challenges.
“Plus our team are fantastic, the baristas, the waiters, the chefs… they all have love and passion for what they do, and it shows up in every coffee and every meal, every day.”
Friends of Ours O.G. Chicken Wrap
Serves
1 wrap
Ingredients
160g chicken breast, sliced
1 Mission Flour tortilla
15g sliced tomato
2 tbsp guacamole
2 tbsp aioli
30g shredded cos lettuce
40g haloumi
For marinade:
1 tbsp Moroccan spices
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground coriander
2 cloves confit garlic
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Method
Step 01.
Mix chicken well with other marinade ingredients and refrigerate overnight.
Step 02.
Grill chicken on a hotplate until cooked through, and grill haloumi until browned.
Step 03.
Warm up flour tortilla for a minute under salamander grill, turning each side twice.
Step 04.
To assemble, spread smashed avocado in a horizontal rectangle in the centre of the wrap and add tomato and lettuce. Pile on chicken and haloumi, drizzle with aioli.
Step 05.
To wrap, fold in left and right sides towards middle of tortilla, leaving a gap in the centre. Hold the edge of tortilla closest to you and use both hands to roll tortilla with ingredients from bottom to top.
Step 06.
Toast wrap under salamander grill for a couple of minutes until browned. Cut in half and serve. Notes
• Chicken breasts are marinated in bulk and cooked before service, then grilled in portions to order.
• Friends of Ours’ house aioli is made with Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise mixed with fresh garlic and apple cider vinegar.
• Check out more wrap recipes at Mission Food https://foodservice.missionfoods.com.au/en/recipes
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