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You came to Paris to eat a falafel sandwich. It's the best reason to come to Paris, right? But this sandwich is especially recommended. Natalie Portman calls it her “favorite meal in Paris.” Rock singer Lenny Kravitz is a fan. So is Vanessa Paradis. According to an American newspaper, L'As du Fallafel (Ace of Falafel), located at 34 rue des Rosiers in the Jewish quarter of the Marais, is a favorite not only in Paris but throughout Europe.
Falafel originates from the Middle East, but has become a tasty and affordable staple (in terms of price and dietary restrictions) around the world. L'As du Fallafel was opened in 1979 by a French-Israeli couple who emigrated to Paris from Israel. Inside, tables are packed tightly together and you can order from a wider menu that includes merguez sausage, schnitzel, grilled chicken and shawarma. Alternatively, you can queue outside to order from the cashier, hand your check to a Hatch attendant and then eat your sandwich on the street.
Falafel from L'As du Fallafel
No cabbage. Not the right texture for a falafel sandwich. And fries? Terrible.
This raises an important question: what is the best way to enjoy a falafel sandwich? “It's street food,” insists London-based Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi. “Don't sit down.” Some of his favorite places in London include Hiba Street on Tottenham Court Road, Beit El Zaitoun in Park Royal, and Mister Falafel in New Shepherd's Bush Market. “You can stand up and eat it, but don't walk around,” declares Fadi Kattan, the French-Palestinian chef at Akub in West London. “A falafel sandwich isn't something you eat innocently while window shopping. You have to enjoy the full pleasure of it, and that means eating it in front of the shop.” In London, you can find him outside Mayyil in Notting Hill, or at Afteem in his hometown of Bethlehem.
Arriving at La Deux Falafel at lunchtime on a Thursday, there's a decent queue; on weekends, the line gets significantly longer. The area is home to a number of falafel-only establishments, including King Falafel Palace and the Paris branch of Israeli chain Miznon. Regulars might be tempted to skip the wait at La Deux Falafel and head to one of these places, but online opinion warns against it, as does La Deux Falafel's motto: “Always imitation, equality.” There's much imitation, but nothing that can be replicated.
Falafel at Mayyil Lebanese On The Go in London Making a wrap at Mayyil Lebanese On The Go
How do you make the best falafel sandwich? It starts with falafel, which should be fried, not baked (“baking in the oven is the worst,” says Kattan), crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. It's usually made with dried chickpeas, garlic and herbs, but there are versions made with broad beans. These Egyptian falafels should properly be called taameya; other versions use a combination of chickpeas and broad beans. Dunja Glin's falafels (Ryland, Peters & Small, £14.99) come in chickpea versions as well as ones made with sweet potato, mushroom and tofu, but many would relegate this to a “vegetarian fritter”. Baking soda or baking soda is a must; sesame seeds are a good option for extra crunch.
9 names to know…
Ahtim Restaurant Manger Square, Bethlehem
Beit El Zaytoun 15-17 Barrets Green Rd, London NW10
Hiba Street 10 Tottenham St, London W1
Imad's Syrian Kitchen 2.5 Kingly Court, London W1
King Falafel Palace 26 Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris
L'As du Fallafel 34 Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris
Myle Lebanon on the Go, 14 Pembridge Road, London W11
Miznon 22 Rue des Scouffes, Paris 75004 (and 2 more locations)
Mr Falafel T4/T5, New Shepherd's Bush Market, London W12
Toppings are a matter of personal preference. “The ideal sandwich would have tahini, pickles, onions and falafel,” says Kattan. “Some people add chopped cucumber and tomato, but I don't. I feel like the liquid would ruin the crispiness of the falafel. If you want to make it a bit more indulgent, add a spoonful of hummus, but that's it. There's no cabbage, which is not the right texture for a falafel sandwich. And the fries? They're terrible.” Imad Alarnab of Imad's Syrian Kitchen is similarly despairing at the myriad options that are becoming popular. “We've never had avocado in the Middle East, and why do we need fried eggplant? There's just too much.”
But is that really the case? The “falafel special” at L'As du Fallafel is 10 euros: thick, warm pita bread filled with sesame-studded falafel, pickled cucumber, hummus, tahini, and, of course, pickled red and white cabbage and fried eggplant. “Do you like it spicy?” the waiter asks, more of a recommendation than a question as he scoops up some harissa sauce and hands me a puffy paper packet and a spare napkin.
Mr Falafel at New Shepherd's Bush Market in London. Gluten-free falafel (right), fried cauliflower (left), chilli sauce and Amba mango dip © Ahmad Yasin
Recommendation
I've had enough bad falafel to know this is something special: hot, flaky fritters, crunchy salad, generous amounts of sauce, sweet, tender eggplant. Standing in a nearby doorway, I devises a strategy. It's not easy. “There's no way to tackle a falafel sandwich without making a mess,” Kattan explains. You know that? Chin jutted, fingers dripping, shirt and trousers in constant danger of splashing, sauce splattered on the pavement like a Jackson Pollock painting, pigeons scavenging through fallen salad. It's awful. But it's worth it.
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