I think I've posted enough about all things meat from shanks to livers, legs, etc., to obliterate any notion that I could ever be a vegetarian. Yet there is one food that I crave as much as any burger, chicken wing, steak, or pate... Falafel. Those wonderful little spiced patties of ground chickpeas fried to a delicate crisp texture are as tasty to me as any fish, fowl, or other critter. I love them served as a traditional sandwich in pita bread with diced cucumber, tomato, sauced with tahini, and spiked with a hot sauce. I can scarf up 2 and 3 of them at a time guiltlessly, knowing that it is practically a health food.
My dilemma was this; where do I find a purveyor of this fabulous foodstuff? It is an ethnic food of Middle Eastern origin. It is shared by many cultures including Israelis, and Lebanese. Still living in central Jersey as I do, I was unable to find a restaurant within reasonable distance that made them, never mind the quality. The last really good falafel that I had eaten came from a Middle Eastern BBQ and Pizza joint called Fatoosh in Brooklyn Heights. Great stuff but I'm not about to schlep for an hour each way for falafel. Then came the light in the darkness. Talking to a friend at the dog park in Highland Park (a town with a very large Jewish population), I asked the question "Is there a decent place for falafel around here?" He said "Sure," and told me about the kosher pizzeria in town called Jerusalem Pizza. He assured me that they served a very good falafel. He also said that there was a brand new Middle Eastern eatery in town called Shwarma, but it was as yet untested. My search was over. One Saturday afternoon on my way back home from a dog romp in the park I decided to check out Jerusalem Pizza. I pulled up in front and went to the door. What the Heck?!! It was locked and the lights were out. They were closed on a Saturday? I was a victim of my own ignorance. I finally put two and two together and realized my error. It was Jewish Sabbath. Of course they were closed. Sad and hungry I got back in my car and continued down the street when I spotted Shwarma the new eatery my friend had mentioned. I parked immediately and walked in. I ordered up three falafel sandwiches to go. I watched as the cook behind the counter used a special scoop to form the patties and dropped them into a fryer. This was going to be good. I got home and ripped into one of the sandwiches. It was delicious. There was just one question in my mind; what about Jerusalem Pizza? There would have to be a falafel throwdown.
Yesterday I made it happen. I entered Jerusalem Pizza and ordered a falafel sandwich. As I waited I looked around. The freshly made pizzas and other foods looked very good and very promising. But what was this? I watched as a cook picked up several pre-fried falafel patties from a bowl on the counter and placed them in a micro-wave. Okay, I thought. I had micro-waved pre-made falafel before and they were alright. He then packed the cucumbers, tomatoes, and some lettuce into a pita and ladled in some thin looking tahini sauce. He wrapped it up for me and I paid and left. I then went up the street to Shwarma. This time I watched as again the patties were scooped and fried to order; the pita was warmed over a grill, and the sandwich was built complete with a squirt of much thicker looking tahini and some house made hot sauce. I took my sandwiches home eager to see who made the best falafel in Highland Park. I opened each package and placed them side by side on a plate.
They looked fairly equal so I took a bite of each. (Shwarma on the left, Jerusalem Pizza on the right.) That was all it took. The pre-made patties from JP were bland by comparison. Their texture was slightly soggy and although good, they just didn't sing and dance on the palate.
The sandwich from Shwarma on the other hand was consistent with the first one I'd had. The falafel was still crunchy although it had cooled. The flavor was much more complex with notes of cumin and herbs. The tahini wasn't wet and it complimented the chickpea patty and vegetables well. It was evident that pre-made just didn't cut it in this comparison.
My only comment was that the hot sauce just wasn't hot enough. I goosed each sandwich with one of my favorite hot sauces, Mazi Piri-Piri. This delightful condiment is made right here in Asbury Park, New Jersey by Peter Mantas, a former manager for Jon Bon Jovi. It is the perfect blend of heat and flavor and it was just what I was looking for.
The results were in, the votes counted, and the clear winner was Shwarma. That being said, I would definitely go back to JP to check out their pizzas. They did look very good and were obviously being made fresh.
Washing all this veggie goodness back was a red wine perfect for the task, Chinon. The Domaine Gouron Chinon 2008 is as all Chinon must be, 100% Cabernet Franc from the village of Chinon in the Loire Valley. Only Champagne is further north in France, making it one of the coolest (temperature) French wine producing regions. The Loire produces wines with great acidity, minerality, and herbal qualities. This wine showed nice red fruit, with notes of green bell pepper, spice, and soft tannins. I would recommend it highly with vegetarian fare and it also works very nicely with the bistro classic Steak Frites.
Now safe and secure with my need for falafel in pita satisfied, I need to start a burger quest. Like Mr. Miyagi said in the Karate Kid, we must have balance.
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Over a century has passed since Don Melchor created a legend. When he discovered his finest Concha y Toro wines were missing, he spread the word that the devil lived in his cellar. From that day, the wine has been known as Casillero del Diablo, the Devil's Cellar.
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