Best Falafel

Hello all...just found your forum and have already soaked in a few new eggs benedict spots and some other valuable information...just relocated here from Portland, OR and am having trouble finding the perfect falafel...I'm sure this subject is beating a dead horse just a little bit but I would love to know all of your favorites...my favorite is unfortunately in San Francisco@Truly Mediterranean...Falafel deluxe...perfectly fried falafel balls wrapped in levash and perfectly matched with lettuce, eggplant, potato, incredible tahini sauce, and a little bit of hot sauce for some punch...then grilled just long enough to warm up the levash...then wrapped in tin foil to avoid the inevitable mess...haven't found anything remotely comparable anywhere else...and I've been looking
So far I've gathered this...Pita Inn in Skokie is the best...Sultan's Market is good, however nothing to rave about...went to Andersonville and tried Taste of Lebanon and wasn't impressed...haven't ventured much further but I'm willing to travel as far as I need to for "The Perfect Falafel"...unfortunately right now that is to the Mission in SF
Thanks...look forward to your responses...

Pita Inn's stands tall by itself, but falls down a bit for garnishes on sandwich or platter: just lettuce, tomato, tahina sauce and harissa (hot sauce). The bread is an ordinary pocket pita, but very good. The crispy nuggets are what get me coming back to the Skokie, Wheeling or Niles locations: soft green on the inside, crisp golden brown outside, with a decent spiciness. They do offer a "gourmet falafel sandwich" for an extra $1.20, including potatoes, cucumbers and pickles. Haven't tried it.

Pita Town (just a few blocks south of the Niles Pita Inn) just doesn't have the flavor. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing to pull me in again. Same with the ones at Sphinx Cafe just south of Dempster on Milwaukee (although it's been a while since I've been there). Falafel King on Oakton in Skokie falls in the same category.

I just had some at Fattoush. Their meza portion is four large egg-shaped toasty-brown nuggets with tomato, cucumber, pickles and tahina sauce. I was disappointed in the blandness, and a flavor that I can only call bread-y.

knoryb wrote:went to Andersonville and tried Taste of Lebanon and wasn't impressed...

What specifically about the felafel at Taste of Lebanon wasn't to your liking? When I worked in that area, it was one of my favorites around. I haven't had it in a while, but I always found it to be fresh and flavorful.

Best,
Michael

The falafel served at Semiramissounds a lot like the SF sandwich you described.

I've had the Falafel at Truly Met and concur that it is a great meal. My favorites in chicago are a bit spread out.

1. Kabob Kafe : I got to know this place when I lived in Lombard. Great fresh non-greasy falafel balls served in more of a naan like bread than the traditional pita or lavash. Aside from the perfectly cooked falafel, the dish is served with tomato/cucumber salad and some pickled onions. My favorite thing about this restaurant is the squeeze bottles of abnormally thin and tangy tahini and the amazingly tasty hot green sauce. I implore everyone that lives close to try this place out.

2. Sinbads: I was in love with this place when it was located across the street from my apartment. The building got bought out by a condo development and they are not there anymore, but there are several other locations. Nothing out of the ordinary, just well done falafel with quality ingredients.

3. Semiramis: Definitely a finer dining experience than the above. Although I don't think it is the best falafel in the chicagoland area, the menu is rich with other items that are great compliments. And as others have said, a pretty close approx to Truly Met. style. Be sure to get the sumac fries when you are there.

best,

Veeral

Kabob Kafe
1300 S. Main St.
Lombard
630-627-6112

Sinbad's
921 W. Belmont Ave.
773-477-6020
(also a location on Halsted at Fullerton)

Semiramis
4639 N. Kedzie Ave.
773-279-8900

It seems like the various falafels of Chicago are good in one respect, but lacking in others. I.E., the pita or lavash rocks, but the falafel itself is eh. Or the falafel is outstanding, and that with which it is wrapped in is so-so. I've yet to meet a falafel here that has all of the trappings you mention--eggplant, potatoes, etc.

That said, Sultan's Market is probably my least favorite falafel. It's a falafel that stays with you for a few days, and not in the good way. So far, Couscous on Taylor Street gets my repeat business because the falafel is deep brown, crispy on the outside, moist chickpea cake on the inside and perfectly seasoned. (I think he also sprinkles sumac on 'em, and I believe I've spotted a sesame seed or two.) But the pita isn't anything to write home about.

Couscous
1445 W. Taylor St
(312) 226-2408


Happy hunting...please report back if you find what you're looking for!

Kabob Kafe is definitely something people in the area should give a shot. It is far better than it really needs to be. I think it's pakistani-run, but I'm not completely sure... the bread is very much a naan rather than a lavash or pita. The kabobs are also very good, as is the hummus.

Taste of Lebanon just was not a standout in any way...the falafel balls were good but nothing else...the hummos, garnish or pita stood out in any way...I would still stop there for a sandwhich if I'm in the neighborhood...but for me it is not worth a trip across town...
on a side note...after my posting I hit up Sultan's Market again and still think it's a decent falafel...nice and crispy, decent hummos, decent pita...I suppose it may stay with me for days...but it tasted good on the way down...I have to note Sultan's is right down the road from me and I wouldn't drive across town to eat there either...

Olive Branch Express on Waukegan in Morton Grove serves it up on the lavash and it super tasty. Their hummus rocks. Combining the two... heaven.

9480 Waukegan Rd.
Morton Grove, IL
966-0600

i love HaShalom for falafel. really great and super cheap.

i was at Taste of Lebanon for lunch today. had a checken shawarma, fries, and a lentil soup. the shawarma is less than nothing to write home about, but the fries and soup were fantastic.

HaShalom Restaurant
2905 W. Devon Ave.

Taste of Lebanon
1509 W. Foster Avenue

I've found the falafel at Cousins in Lincoln Park to be quite good. The balls are not nearly as big as most of the other falafel I've had, but they're exceptionally moist and flavorful, not dry like those at too many other restaurants.

My favorite Falafel is found at Sultan's Market in Wicker Park. I was actually just there this weekend, after having not been there in a long time. If you're turned off by Wicker Park (for whatever reason..), keep in mind that Sultan's market has been around long before Wicker Park was "cool" ...

Falafel is their specialty... you can order it with spice or without... I like it spicey myself. They also have great soups, rice/lentils, and other sides, and its still reasonably priced.


http://www.chicagofalafel.com/


Sultan's Market
2057 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60647

I'm a big fan of Kabob2 on Devon, the falafel is fried fresh to order, and is available as a side to anything else you might order for 35¢ a pop.

I'm a big, big fan of the Fatoush at Kabob2, too, if only because they leave out the green peppers almost everyone else throws in.


Kabob2
3104 W. Devon
773-508-0415

I personally think Old Jeruselam in Old Town on Wells St. makes the perfect the falafel, and it is very tasty. They don't have any fancy sandwiches with levash, but the falafel itself is quite tasty and worth the trip, and it is VERY cheap, most platters/sandwiches topping out at $6. Hummus is also great.
Aladdin's Eatery (on in Evanston and one on Diversy near Boradway/Clark intersection) has pretty good falafels too, and offer slightly trendy options, if you are into that.
Now I am craving a falafel and all the fixins...

leenatrivedi23 wrote:Aladdin's Eatery (on in Evanston...

The one in Evanston is closed; there's a sign on the window saying Al's Italian Beef is coming into that space.

If you want tasty and cheap is of paramount concern, the falafel at Salam just south of the Kedzie brown line stop are $0.19/ball and generally very fresh and good, if a little mild for my tastes.

does any place in chicago serve falafel in lafah bread? when i was in tel aviv a few years back, we went to a falafel/shawarma place (wish i could remember the name or exact location), and i had a shawarma in lafah, and the wife had falafel in lafah. both were amazingly good, in large part because of the lafah. which was moist, chewy, and a touch sweet. i'm salivating as i write.

The Jerusalem Cafe recently moved into a very convenient space right next to the Lake Theater in downtown Oak Park. The falafel is excellent. It's made after you order it, and shaped more like a hot dog than a hockey puck. Light, nicely spicy, more of a crackle than a crunch. A big improvement over the Panda's that used to be in that space.

Jerusalem Cafe
1030 Lake Street
Oak Park
708 848 7734

They deliver. But go see Mrs Henderson Presents and check it out on site.

CousCous on Taylor street makes a tasty Falafel topped with a fresh jerusalem salad, and good Tahini. Price is right too, 2.75.

leenatrivedi23 wrote:I personally think Old Jeruselam in Old Town on Wells St. makes the perfect the falafel, and it is very tasty.

I really wanted to like Old Jerusalem since I live maybe three blocks away but am sad to say that I think it tastes much more like Haifa than anything around the Kedzie Brown line stop.

JoelF wrote:Pita Inn's stands tall by itself, but falls down a bit for garnishes on sandwich or platter: just lettuce, tomato, tahina sauce and harissa (hot sauce). The bread is an ordinary pocket pita, but very good. The crispy nuggets are what get me coming back to the Skokie, Wheeling or Niles locations: soft green on the inside, crisp golden brown outside, with a decent spiciness. They do offer a "gourmet falafel sandwich" for an extra $1.20, including potatoes, cucumbers and pickles. Haven't tried it.

.

The gourmet one is excellent..eat them regularly at the Pita Inn in Wheeling

Has anyone tried the Lebanese Restaurant on Lincoln at Dempster? It listed falafel as an offering, and the Lebanese are usually known for good middle-eastern food.

I second that (Pita Inn). The gourmet falafel sandwich is excellent. I'm eager to try Kabob2. ghollander, how's the soup?

I'm somewhat suprised that no one has mentioned the fava falafel at city noor (search for many more descriptions and pictures of this), somewhat different than the others described but probably my favorite around town, more for a platter than a sandwich.

It's time to add a new contender to the list: In my opinion, Dawali's falafel are the best around.

zim wrote:I'm somewhat suprised that no one has mentioned the fava falafel at city noor (search for many more descriptions and pictures of this), somewhat different than the others described but probably my favorite around town, more for a platter than a sandwich.

that's because City Noor has been closed for almost 2 years now. I believe there was a fire or something and they never reopened. But indeed, their falafel was made from fava beans, very delicate flavor, and not at all greasy. They were my favorite when I lived in Chicago.

leesh wrote:

zim wrote:I'm somewhat suprised that no one has mentioned the fava falafel at city noor (search for many more descriptions and pictures of this), somewhat different than the others described but probably my favorite around town, more for a platter than a sandwich.

that's because City Noor has been closed for almost 2 years now. I believe there was a fire or something and they never reopened. But indeed, their falafel was made from fava beans, very delicate flavor, and not at all greasy. They were my favorite when I lived in Chicago.

zim's post was posted over 2 years ago.

eatchicago wrote:zim's post was posted over 2 years ago.

oops! I blame the icy cold vodka i'm currently consuming for making that 06 look like an 08!

Falafel seems to be one of those things that's hard to mess up. I haven't had a bad experience in the city. Some of my recent memories:

Pita Inn (in skokie): My first falafel & Still my favorite falafel. Such a good deal for the price.

Babylon (on Damen): Very solid falafel

Sultan's Market (on North): Wasn't huge on it - I like a crispy falafel, but not crunchy.

Taboun Grill (on California): They serve it up in a laffa (Tel-Aviv style) with great suaces. Best Baba I've found in the city.

Kan Zaman (on Wells): Another solid falafel.

The wife and I enjoy Mizrahi Grill of late for all of their isreali-style middle eastern offerings, including falafel.

Mizrahi Grill
215 Skokie Valley Rd (Crossroads Plaza)
Highland Park, IL 60035
847-831-1400