You Say فلافل, I Say Falafel

What do you usually find yourself thinking about when biting into a falafel? The different textures of the soft inside and crunchy outside? Maybe the nutty flavor from the tahini, or the spiciness of the coriander and cumin? How about where the idea of falafel even came from?  Most people seem to recognize it as a Mediterranean food, but the history of falafel is actually a bit more interesting than just that!

There is no solid agreement of where and when falafel originated, but it is generally believed that Egyptians were the first to fry up delicious balls of mashed fava beans and spices. As it moved further North the fava beans were replaced with chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, mainly out of convenience. Many Palestinians claim falafel as their own, and the fact that falafel has become known as “Israel’s national snack” creates another issue of debate for them. Falafel, according to Israelis, is a food with Biblical roots and was a way for Jewish settlers in the Middle East to reconnect with their pasts. Today, not only can a great falafel be found all over the Middle East, but Americans have come to find a special place in their stomachs for the delicious and versatile street food staple.

Falafel is not a difficult dish to make (for a great how-to video, click here), but it does require some ingredients and steps that a lot of college students wouldn’t necessarily consider. Luckily, we live in Boston where a good falafel is not hard to come by. With that in mind, I have visited some of Boston’s falafel hot spots for you to try. By no means is this a complete list, but it is certainly enough to get you started!

1. Rami’s

324 Harvard Street

Brookline, MA 02246

I first heard about Rami’s from my cousin who went to graduate school at Brandeis University. It was his absolute favorite falafel and he would regularly make the drive to Coolidge Corner just for the tasty meal.  Luckily for us, Rami’s is a nice walk, not a 20-30 minute drive, from campus.  The absolute best part of their falafel is the pita bread. Seriously, best pita bread I have EVER had-hands down. The strong flavor of toasted sesame distinguished their falafel from others I have had. One downside was that the falafel pita was built in layers, so I had to mix it around myself to get a bit of falafel and toppings in each bite.

2. Temptations Cafe

1038 Beacon St # 1          313 Huntington Avenue        1350 Beacon Street
Brookline, MA 02446     Boston, MA 02115                  Brookline, MA, 02446

Temptations is a family-run business whose first location has been in Boston University’s South Campus for 11 years now. Their second location is on Northeastern’s campus and they just recently opened their third restaurant in Coolidge Corner. The mother of the family is the backbone of the business, as she is the one with the collection of amazing secret recipes.  She has taught her three sons what she knows, ensuring the future of the family business. Now, to the food: Tempations’ falafel is delicate yet flavorful.  The pickles on the wrap offer a tangy counter-balance to the falafel and the creamy hummus. Do yourself a favor and get extra hummus and a side of their tabouleh. The hummus has the perfect texture and is chockfull of garlicky goodness. The tabouleh is a great refresher for your palate.

3. Moody’s Falafel Palace

25 Central Square

Cambridge, MA 02139

The trip to Cambridge is well worth it for anything from this restaurant. I ordered a combination plate here (it is not on the menu, but just ask) of falafel and chicken shawarma. Only minutes later I was handed a plate overflowing with food. The chicken shawarma is a must.  It was the most succulent chicken I’ve had in a very long time. The falafel was a bit plain and dry, but the plate comes with hummus, baba ghanoush, salad, tabouleh, tahini and pita bread so you can easily dress it up to your own tastes.

4. Falafel King

48 Winter Street St.

Boston, MA 02108

Quite a few people have told me that Falafel King is the best. As of now, I am still taking their word for it since I entered the wrong zip code into google maps. So instead of taking two of my hungry and excited roommates to Downtown Crossing for lunch, I dragged them through a 45 minute ride on the T and lead them on a hopeless journey through Dorchester. Oops! So, unless you want to be the butt of your roommates’ jokes for the weekend and make them brownies to earn their forgiveness, be sure to get the address correct.

Let me know where you get YOUR favorite falafel!