B'shvili and I have one major thing in common and it's that we're both newcomers to this town. A hunger-led stroll through my new neighborhood in Rego Park led me to the doorstep of this two-month old eatery, lured in by a handwritten whiteboard sign outside that advertised fresh falafels.
The restaurant itself is small and unassuming. One might even deign to call the decor choices 'careless', especially when you see that the very menu is nothing more than a marker-scrawled piece of posterboard taped to the wall. But what this place lacks in ambiance is more than made up for by its big personality – of the owner, that is. A ball of energy and enthusiasm, he overheard me placing my first tentative order with the guy behind the counter – a few plain falafel balls, just to taste – and jumped in, asking "How many? 4? 6? 8?" I shrugged and said four sounded fine, to which the owner screamed back to the kitchen, "Give the lady 7!" After some boisterous conversation, he discovered this was my first visit to the restaurant and interrupted the conversation to call out again, "Give her 8!"
The guy who put my order together was quieter but just as amicable and offered to add cups of hot green sauce and hummus to my order, "just to try". He was just about done wrapping my freshly fried falafels when the owner jumped in again and protested excitedly, "No, no, no. Give her one right now." Turning to me, he promised, "Try one right now. If you don't like it, I'll give you a hundred dollars right here." It was a risky bet to make; unbeknownst to him, I've had at least fifty different falafels over the course of a lifetime and could probably find something wrong with this one. I dutifully popped one into my mouth under his watchful, confident gaze and after a few thoughtful chews, admitted aloud that it was a damn good falafel. Texturally, it was just right – crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, so much that it practically fell apart in my mouth once I chewed through the crispy exterior. I don't know what they put in their falafels, but it was insanely flavorful, even on its own, and had just enough green on the inside to hint at a good amount of fresh herbs and veggies in the mix. Later, when I finished the batch at home, I tried it with both the green chili sauce and hummus, which were the perfect accoutrements. When (not if) I return, I'll be sure to try them in a pita with the bevy of toppings available at the counter.
Admittedly, these are not the absolute best falafels I've ever had, but they're right up there on the list, and the fact that they're just around the corner from my new apartment definitely ensures future visits. Their (kosher!) menu also offers other yummy sounding options like blinis, kabobs, shawarma, and schnitzel. I may have lucked out of a hundred bucks in the deal but I'm happy to have found such a friendly neighborhood joint that serves up good eats and hope they stick around for awhile.
B'shvili and I have one major thing in common and it's that we're both newcomers to this town. A hunger-led stroll through my new neighborhood in Rego Park led me to the doorstep of this two-month old eatery, lured in by a handwritten whiteboard sign outside that advertised fresh falafels.
The restaurant itself is small and unassuming. One might even deign to call the decor choices 'careless', especially when you see that the very menu is nothing more than a marker-scrawled piece of posterboard taped to the wall. But what this place lacks in ambiance is more than made up for by its big personality – of the owner, that is. A ball of energy and enthusiasm, he overheard me placing my first tentative order with the guy behind the counter – a few plain falafel balls, just to taste – and jumped in, asking "How many? 4? 6? 8?" I shrugged and said four sounded fine, to which the owner screamed back to the kitchen, "Give the lady 7!" After some boisterous conversation, he discovered this was my first visit to the restaurant and interrupted the conversation to call out again, "Give her 8!"
The guy who put my order together was quieter but just as amicable and offered to add cups of hot green sauce and hummus to my order, "just to try". He was just about done wrapping my freshly fried falafels when the owner jumped in again and protested excitedly, "No, no, no. Give her one right now." Turning to me, he promised, "Try one right now. If you don't like it, I'll give you a hundred dollars right here." It was a risky bet to make; unbeknownst to him, I've had at least fifty different falafels over the course of a lifetime and could probably find something wrong with this one. I dutifully popped one into my mouth under his watchful, confident gaze and after a few thoughtful chews, admitted aloud that it was a damn good falafel. Texturally, it was just right – crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, so much that it practically fell apart in my mouth once I chewed through the crispy exterior. I don't know what they put in their falafels, but it was insanely flavorful, even on its own, and had just enough green on the inside to hint at a good amount of fresh herbs and veggies in the mix. Later, when I finished the batch at home, I tried it with both the green chili sauce and hummus, which were the perfect accoutrements. When (not if) I return, I'll be sure to try them in a pita with the bevy of toppings available at the counter.
Admittedly, these are not the absolute best falafels I've ever had, but they're right up there on the list, and the fact that they're just around the corner from my new apartment definitely ensures future visits. Their (kosher!) menu also offers other yummy sounding options like blinis, kabobs, shawarma, and schnitzel. I may have lucked out of a hundred bucks in the deal but I'm happy to have found such a friendly neighborhood joint that serves up good eats and hope they stick around for awhile.