West Roxbury just won't be the Samia

Wicked Local West Roxbury passes along the sad news: Samia's on Centre Street closed for good today. But: Samia sold her eponymous Middle Eastern restaurant to somebody else who is pledging to keep selling Middle Eastern food - the guy who owns Shawarma King in Brookline.

Samia's had been on limited hours in recent years, following the death of Samia's husband, who ran the front of the place while Samia did much of the cooking out back. Wicked Local quoted her as saying she had no choice but to sell - her doctor told her she needed a break.

Between now and June 1, when the new place is supposed to open, kefteh and kibbeh fans will have to head over to Cristelle's on Washington Street.