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Alan's Falafel
Categories: Restaurants Middle Eastern Restaurants Food Stands Middle Eastern, Food Stands [Edit]
140 BroadwayBetween Liberty St. & Cedar St.
(between Cedar St & Liberty St)
New York, NY 10005
Neighborhood: Financial District
(646) 301-2316
- Nearest Transit:
-
Wall St (4, 5)
Fulton St (4, 5)
Wall St (2, 3)
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
42 reviews for Alan's Falafel
Review Highlights
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"Don't forget the hot sauce." In 12 reviews -
"...be hard pressed to find a better lunch deal in the area." In 3 reviews -
"I had the falafel platter and was amazed at the amount of..." In 14 reviews
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42 reviews in English
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Review from Anthony C.
Holmdel Township, NJ
4/23/2012
Alan's Falafel offers a standard array of falafel-based dishes (compared to the many other carts you may encounter) including falafel sandwich, falafel platter, falafel rice, and others.
Five bucks gets you a standard styrofoam plate, spiced yellow rice, salad, and a decent amount of falafel (I got 7 pieces, enough to cover the rice). All this is complimented with a white yogurt-based sauce and the optional hot sauce. The falafel here blows all other falafel I've ever eaten out of the water.
Previous experiences involved dry, overcooked falafel with an unappealing grainy texture. These falafel were flavorful, tender and moist. The outside wasn't as crunchy as I expected, but that may be my fault; I walked a bit from the cart back to my office and as a result they grew softer. The rice was pretty standard, nothing that special about the flavor, though I found the white sauce not as rich as other places. The salad is pretty mundane, just iceberg lettuce, tomato cubes and cucumber.
The falafel platter is also a great alternative. The hummus and tahini are pretty good, not the best hummus I've had but great for the price. The dolma are tasty as well. I usually go for the falafel platter.
The owner (Alan?) is also a great guy. Very friendly, and he recognized me after 2-3 visits and gave me a bit more food. There is usually a line during lunch time but it doesn't get too bad.
I have yet to taste Mamouns and Sam's across the street but Alan's is my favorite falafel in the city so far! -
Review from Chi N.
2/27/2012
come here for the falafel rice platter but not the falafel assortment platter...
assortment came with falafels, a bunch of tahini sauce, babaganouse sorta drenching the unwanted salad, one crispy sorta stale pita chip, one measeley eggplant, 2 too spicy sour peppers., one grapeleaf that i could do without.
i like the rice platter more cuz things like hummus and babaganoush are separated out so its not just one big mess to eat.
sandwich is good too cuz they throw in more pieces of eggplant and hummus
also like coming here for breakfast sandwiches... fast and hot! -
Review from Nicholas A.
Brooklyn, NY
Best. Falafel. Anywhere.
And, for a street cart, I am amazed at how many people travel from around the city to come have lunch here. -
Review from Chirayu D.
Jersey City, NJ
3/30/2012
So their quantity might be a little lesser than the across the street 'Sams Falafel', which is evidently more popular..but what they miss in quantity(not that imp. in my opinion), they make up pretty well in taste..I think their stuff tastes better..I have given Sams Falafel 4 stars as well because they pretty good too!
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Review from Madhumitha N.
Seattle, WA
9/30/2011
There are more than 4 to 5 Falafel in NY downtown and most of them taste good. But I wanted to taste best out best. I was reading reviews and walking buy and this truck catches my eye, because it was written vegetarian (I am not against meat, just wanted to eat falafel which is completely fresh and veg).
Good thing about this truck:
1. Falafels are fresh, straight from the hot oil.
2. U can get grape leafs 3 for $1
3. Yummy
Tips: Don't ask for hot sauce, it was too spicy for me. If you like spicy then you will really enjoy it.
I think by default it comes with banana peppers. -
Review from Amelia G.
Brooklyn, NY
9/21/2011 11 Check-ins Here
I'm happy to be the duchess of the best $4 lunch a broke lady can buy.
Although the line is often long, a greeting from Alan and service with a smile provides the best roasted eggplant and falafel sandwich I've had yet.
I used to accompany friends and not order, as I am the only person alive who hates hummus and tahini, but now I am a happy convert with my whole-wheat pita (just ask!) stuffed with to the brim with that eggplant, hot sauce, lettuce and tomato.
Who needs hummus? This falafel stands on its own! Don't forget the hot pepper and grape leaf!! -
Review from KP R.
Jersey City, NJ
2/13/2012
I believe that this is my first 5 star review.
And, prior to tasting Alan's falafel, I thought the best was Al-fanoose (where I have been eating their falafel's ever since they opened) and Mamouns @ second.
However, after eating Alan's falafels a few times - with hot sauce and tahini and a bit of hummus - I think that they slightly edge those from Al-fanoose. :)
I am least bit bothered about 'value', which Alan pointed out when comparing the $5 Al-fanoose wrap because Al-fanoose is a sit-in place - blissful when you want to enjoy the hot food when it is cold or raining outside - and more importantly, you can savor the food without caring too much about the tahini and hot sauce dripping out of the pita irrespective of how well it is wrapped.
I digress; I came to praise the food, not compare value.
The falafels are splendid! Cruncy and fried to perfection. I tried them as a sandwich, on a platter, and just by themselves sans any toppings and they tasted wonderful.
Just try it whenever you are in downtown and then decide.
Enjoy! :) -
Review from Veronique V.
New York, NY
3/18/2011
Delightful.
I've had both the rice platter and the falafel sandwich, but the latter wins in my opinion. The falafel balls are perfectly fried; nice and crispy on the outside, while maintaining juicy goodness on the inside. The pita was warm and packed with onions, tomatoes, and sauce galore. For only $4, it's definitely one of the most delicious, cost-effective no-fills lunch deal you can get in FiDi. Highly recommend it! -
Review from Harmony I.
Financial District, Manhattan, NY
10/6/2011
Quick, $4, and packed full of flavor. This was, believe it or not, my first falafel experience. I may need to eat one every day from now on! I work right next door to this court and was recommended by a coworker who gets one from this cart every day for lunch. I thought to myself, anything that good is worth a try. So it was! Creamy sauce, crisp veggies...and what a taste that fried falafel has in that soft pita. Even the stuffed grape leaf that they drop on top was quite possibly the best one that I have ever had! I'm a fan, and will be eating here again....like, tomorrow.
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Review from D M.
Astoria, NY
11/11/2011
Alan's oh Alan's. I dig that you can make a man full for $4 in the FiDi! Tasty falafel...I stick with the pita and don't mess with any of the platters. The hot sauce is a good touch if you can hang.
He has a veracious competitor of Sam's across they way but both make a damn good falafel for the same price. Pick one, I like em both! Don't hate! Both are some of better tasting and fresh food carts the City has to offer. -
Review from Lisa D.
2/9/2009
Alan's gives Alfanoose (full service Lebanese restaurant around the
corner voted "Best Falafel in NY") a run for its money. Five bucks buys
you a platter with hot falafel, hummus, baba ganouge, salad, grilled
eggplant, and grape leaves. The falafel is fresh and tasty, the pita fresh and thick, the hummus and baba ganouge creamy and tangy if a little heavy on the pepper. You'd be hard pressed to find a better lunch deal in the area.Listed in: Junk Food Junkie, The Great NYC Falafel Wars
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Review from Amanda Z.
6/23/2009
I would move to New York and work in the financial district just to come here for lunch every day. Seriously, $3 for a falafel sandwich so fabulous and spicy that I can't even finish?
My pita was stuffed of moist-in-the-right-place, crispy-in-the-right place falafels, hummus, eggplant, and some very hot sauce that made everything taste even better...amazing. That's all I can say.
As much as I adore my own workplace spot to get my falafel on, this place just blew that out of the water, even without free baklava!
Anyone in NYC need a roommate?Listed in: Sorry Chicago...
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Review from Jeff C.
11/20/2008 3 Check-ins Here
BEST HUMMUS & TAHINI! So this place has been compared to the infamous Sam's. I haven't been to Sam's in over 10yrs when he had his store @ NYU, but Alan's doesn't disappoint, I'll tell you that much. It lives up to the most fastidious and discerning palates, including mine. Execution is on point. Two guys run this truck and take orders simultaneously. $3 gets you a falafel sandwich and $5 gets you a falafel platter that weighs over 1lb easily. Generous portions paired with fresh ingredients makes this place a big hit in my book. I usually need meat in my meals but this one left me satiated, which says A LOT. Not sure if they gave me more due to me snapping pictures nonstop while waiting on line. This jack of 1 trade happens to also be a master of it, just the way it should be. Just go.
Falafel platter ($5) - salad [lettuce, tomato chunks, carrot (horizontal ridged) slices], grilled eggplant, babaghanoush, falafel (YOU GET 9 PCS W@W!!!), tahini, pepperoncini, parsley sprinkled on top. You even get a chewy pity (a tad cold) rolled in foil. The foodgasm experienced from this meal is awesome.
Pics: http://www.meetup.com/...Listed in: FiDi Sh*t, Cheap Shit, Food Cart/Truck Sh*t
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Review from Tam N.
New York, NY
5/2/2007
Falafel Cart Taste-Off: Alan's Falafel v. Sam's Falafel
[This review is duplicated at Sam's ... http://www.yelp.com/bi...
... So I coaxed Isaiah S. into accompanying me to Sam's Falafel cart for what promised to be the finest streetcart falafel among Financial District vendors.* Imagine our surprise when we found Sam's Falafel abutting Alan's. And the line at Alan's was twice as long! Clearly, an opportunity for a Taste-Off. Ohhh, snap!
At either cart, $5 buys you a Combo Plate with virtually identical fare: falafel, baba ganoush, roasted eggplant, tahini, spicy sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickled carrots, (1) dolmas, and (1) not-so fresh pita.
Our findings, in +/- breakdown ... (borrowed from http://Midtownlunch.com as a rubric befitting this competition)
Alan's:
+ Combo plate included heaps 'n heaps of sides.
+ Dolmas had a dry-ish interior but packed more potent grapeleaf flavor.
+ Generous helpings of baba ganoush, roasted eggplant, tahini, and hot sauce.
+ Eggplant tasted fresh, but not smoky.
- Eggplant tasted fresh, but not smoky.
- Falafel = charred mofos. This was Alan's biggest liability.
- Lettuce and parsley seemed less spry than Sam's.
- More populated queue than Sam's (but the line moves quickly).
Sam's:
+ Falafel were deep-fried to perfection. Not too burned and still quite moist.
+ Less generous in quantity, but better quality lettuce and parsley.
+ Baba ganoush had a nice smokiness.
- Really, really chintzy with the eggplant and the baba ganoush. That shit was in cognito under the lettuce.
- Dolmas had no taste.
- We asked for 'spicy.' Where's the hot?
Given the extreme variability in how falafel from even a single streetcart are prepared, it's hard to know whether a subsequent Alan's v. Sam's Taste-Off would come out the same. At this juncture, lemme say this ... If you value falafel quality over eggplant, Sam's your best bet. If you value heaping quantities and tastier sides, Alan's is for you.
'* Qualifiers required when reviewing Downtown lunch options. -
Review from Vanster A.
Jersey City, NJ
4/18/2009
I usually go to this cart for breakfast since its on my way to work.. egg on a roll with onions... he makes it really well. then i came back to try the falafel for lunch (work is 10 blocks away).. and the walk was well beyond worth it. I have had falafel platters before, but the number and quality of his sides beats all the ones i had before. I just couldn't stop eating until i finished every tiny little bit of the food in that container.
hmm..mm.. mm.. finger licking good! -
Review from Sokie L.
New York, NY
7/30/2010
Customer service with a smile, adds up to 5 stars for the excellent, filling Falafel sandwich. The pickled cauliflowers and eggplants are nice touch.
It's $4 for sandwich now- it's still a bargain for good downtown lunch grab. -
Review from Rebecca A.
Brooklyn, NY
7/28/2009
Oy ... falafel....is so friggin good. Spiced well. Comes with awesome sides. Esp. the dolmeh. So, so good. Get the platter.
But a warning to those less apt on the street food: your belly ain't gonna be feeling so pretty after you eat this stuff. -
Review from Yosh H.
4/26/2009 1 Check-in Here
$5 for lunch platter? Good price.
Quick and amiable service? Yup
Satisfying meal? Absolutely.
The line is a bit longer than others but the wait is worth it. The falafel is good, and there is so much food given to you that you know you didn't make the wrong decision. Trust me. Run down to Alan's, order the lunch platter, and you'll be smiling (and jogging) the entire trip back to your desk knowing you're about to be thoroughly satisfied. -
Review from Cport J.
Cambridge, MA
9/30/2009
Fine but massively overrated, as is it's competitor Sam's.
It's definitely cheap, especially the falafel platter for $5, so if your only criteria is how full you can be for the lowest price, then fine, rate it highly. But if you want actually good falafel, spring for Alfanoose over on Maiden Lane. Alan's falafel is a bit off, a bit too dry, not quite as well spiced. -
Review from JulieJuli A.
New York, NY
Updated - 5/17/2010
Julia
Bringing down my rating because I did get sick from Alan's and question the cleanliness. I always worry with these spots and think that you really just have to get there during prime time when the food is the freshest.
I may have to go back to Sam's....1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/10/2010
Julie
I thought it was better than Sam's. But again, my experience at Sam's may have been tainted… Read more »
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Review from Natalie C.
New York, NY
6/13/2011
I swear my falafel must have weighed a pound. It was good, but not great. I still think Mamoun's and even Maoz's falafel's are still better.
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Review from Julie B.
New York, NY
8/30/2009
Have to chime in and agree with everyone else here. Alan's is amazing. At least once or twice a week I have a $3 falafel sandwich (with grilled eggplant!! yum) and a $1 soda = $6 saved compared to usual salad + soda lunch from the deli by my office. The falafel has good flavor, sauce and is well seasoned. And if you don't get the eggplant, you're committing a crime against humanity.
I know people are wary of street food, but don't be, Alan's is the best. There's a reason the line is so long. If only this place was open at dinner time and not just lunch. -
Review from Allison D.
Edgewater, NJ
7/19/2011
This food and falafel was more than I expected. I went on lunch break today and for $6.00 got a very generous lunch and it was delicious too. I am so happy Alan's is back in business as his original cart/stand was demolished on 9/11.
A+ to this lunch today. -
Review from Anney J.
New York, NY
9/25/2009
There are 4 or 5 food carts on the same short block as Alan's that also sell falafels. They virtually have no line during peak lunch time while Alan's line is usually a dozen or so deep. Kinda makes you feel bad for the other vendors but not so much that I'd risk a lame falafel when Alan's has never let me down.
The guys who run it are SO nice and smiley even if they are cramped in a glass box like lobsters in a seafood restaurant. When I asked for sauce on the side, they gave me nearly a full coffee cup worth! I saved the extra and used it for dipping veggies the next day =D.
When i get the sandwich, i say "with everything." I find it amusing since it's always different. One time there was a random cauliflower in the center like a hidden jewel. YUM!
MUCH tastier and cheaper than Alfanoose. I'll never go back there since I've had Alans! -
Review from Terence D.
San Diego, CA
2/15/2011
Reading about Alan and Sam in NY Magazine made me want try it out. Also since it's right across the street from where I work, it's quite convenient. Yes, Alan's truck whips up a great falafel and rice platter. The falafel was seasoned well and not too dry and the fried eggplant was tasty too. Good food, hefty portions and good prices will keep me coming back. Now I want to try Sam's cart just to compare!
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Review from Christina C.
New York, NY
9/11/2007
Alan's falafel sandwich is SO SO SO good. About eight+ falafel balls come in a pita pocket (with hummus, if you so desire), fresh lettuce and tomato, the best tahini sauce EVER, and topped with hot sauce - you can get eggplant and jalapenos in there, too. A sandwich and soda cost you $4 - can you get a better deal downtown? I think not. Alan is so friendly and makes every sandwich with care.
Notably, sometimes the sandwich sit in my stomach like a rock, but oh man did it taste good going down. Other days I wish I had ordered two...is that bad?! Oh, and a colleague got the pita platter and was lusting after my sandwich the entire time. Love this place! -
Review from Ian R.
Brooklyn, NY
4/14/2009
The $5 falafel platter is hands down the best cheap Manhattan lunch deal I have found.
He usually gives you eight falafel that are as good as any out there, plus salad, humus and tahini. It's just awesome. -
Review from Jeanette K.
Addison, IL
12/6/2010
I was so psyched for some food truck falafel on my recent trip to NYC, and Alan's just let me down. Maybe I'm not a fan of eggplant or overly "tahini-ed" hummus. Or come to think of it, dry falafel. Anyways, I ordered the falafel sandwich with hummus and hot sauce. I took about 3 or 4 bites and pulled the slimy eggplant out of the pita. I decontructed the sandwich and ate the falafel with the pita, scraping off some of the hummus. It was sad. I had a snack later. At least the guy in the truck (Alan?) was nice.
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Review from Thomas C.
The on going battler of Alan v Sam. Sorry Alan I'm on Sam's side on this one. But you two have turned me into a fan of falafels!
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Review from Jason P.
4/9/2009 3 Check-ins Here
Alan's Falafel is located in in front of the Brown Brothers Harriman building on Broadway (east side of the street), with a huge red/orange cube standing on one of its corners. I was in the mood for another budget lunch and falafels sounded like a good alternative from the usual gyro/chicken platters. I jumped on the line of about 7-8 people, which only took a total wait time of 5 minutes.
I ordered the falafel platter ($5.00) to get the full effect and to try all of their items. The gentleman asked if I wanted hot sauce, which I nodded yes, and he prepared my platter in mere seconds, dipping the tongs and spooning the sauces from each tray in assembly line form. I proceeded to the right to pay the 2nd gentleman who bagged my styrofoam container with some napkins and a fork. These guys are fast!!
Boy was I surprised when I opened the container. There was quite an assortment of items in it:
1) A triangular shaped piece of fried/crispy pita-like bread. Yum!
2) A juicy jalapeno (more bulb-like rather than the long thin jalapenos)
3) Eight falafel balls which were nice and crispy on the outside (ever so slightly over-charred/deep-fried) but soft on the inside. Mmmm, these falafels were delicious, though I did find some trouble trying to stab my plastic fork into a few of them.
4) Below the falafels were a few pieces of sliced carrot, celery and pepper with a subtle tangy flavor.
5) Salad consisting of freshly chopped lettuce (slightly browning) that still had its crispness, and fresh tomatoes cut in cubes.
6) On top of the salad was 3-4 Tbsp. of baba ganoush which was perfectly mashed with seasonings. Boy, was it goooood!! I was done with it in a blink of an eye, only wanting more!!
7) Next to the salad were 5 slices of roasted/grilled eggplant with the skin still intact on the outside. I found the skin to be a little tough and obtrusive when eating, but it was still quite good.
8) Sauteed onions sat next to the baba ganoush. I found the onions to be slightly undercooked, good that it still had a nice crunch but not so good when it still had a strong onion taste.
9) One small tasty dolmade (grape leaf) which I believe was vegetarian.
10) In one of the smaller 3 partitions, was several Tbsp. of tahini sauce. I found myself dipping my falafels and pita bread in here to soak up all the goodness.
11) A slice of fresh pita bread was wrapped and rolled up in a piece of aluminum foil, served cool to room temperature.
And lastly (an optional request), a few squeezes of hot sauce was poured on top of the falafels which had some nice heat. Perfecto!
Oh boy, it's been a while since I haven't had meat included in my lunch meal, but today was definitely a great excuse to skip on the meat and go for falafels. I found myself pretty full and pleased with my meal, and can't wait to go to Alan's Falafel again. I would definitely have to say that their sauces/dips were top notch, though the falafels were slightly over-fried. Overall, I was very pleased with my meal and variety of ingredients. -
Review from Judy C.
Redondo Beach, CA
11/3/2009
My friend had their falafels and it was sooooo delicious! He loved it and I had a bite of it. The sauce was good and it was only $3.00. Super deal. =)
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Review from Mitch S.
New York, NY
11/24/2010
First of all, it's a cart. That should have been sufficient warning, but we were feeling adventurous and trying very hard to find a decent cheap lunch in FiDi. Our stomachs started hurting WHILE we were eating. I'd rate it one star, but they give you a generous portion of their painful food for very little money.
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Review from Jason S.
Metuchen, NJ
1/8/2010
Had lunch (a platter) was good, warm, cheap. Decided which stand purely based on who had the longest line (that's the one I want)
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Review from Lotti M.
New York, NY
8/8/2009
Alan's falafel, where have you been all my life? The falafel was light, fluffy and moist, not oily at all. The hot sauce was indeed hot, but it didn't overpower the dish. The tahini was flavourful and the eggplant was grilled to perfection. Delicious and cheap. Not to mention alan's a great guy!
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Review from Dina M.
Dallas, TX
10/28/2009
I can't believe this place is so good!! its only 3.00 and so yummy!!! their falafels are yummy and they add veggies in there too! Its just great!!
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Review from jia k.
Elmhurst, NY
2/26/2010
Good stuff
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Review from Bhumika D.
Austin, TX
8/26/2009
I had the falafel platter and was amazed at the amount of food! The falafels were flavorful and crispy on the outside/soft on the inside. The tahini sauce, eggplant, hummus were also great. Not a big fan of stuffed grape leaves but they weren't bad. The pita wasn't warm but tasted good. The fried pita and the salad were unnecessary, but also good. Anyway, this is a great deal in a very expensive area. Don't forget the hot sauce!!!
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Review from Jeff D.
Brooklyn, NY
8/30/2009
Must have passed this place a dozen times before finally trying it. I'll be coming back often. Everything is fresh, made to order, and just the way you want it-- choice of with or w/o various sauces, hot peppers, etc. And always served with a piece of deep fried pita, and a smile. Even if the falafel wasn't great, the price can't be beat, making Alan's stratospheric on the value scale.
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Review from Hary H.
New York, NY
8/25/2009
The lines speak for themselves!
Seriously where else in the city can you get a tasty lunch for $3
Two guys normally work the cart, "Alan" who always has a friendly smile and his assistant. Alan makes the place! He greets every customer with a smile and warmth. For a few months he was elsewhere and business definitely diminished. Now that he's back so are the long long lines.
Ask for your falafel with a little bit of hot sauce to add a kick. Get an ice cold soda and find a bench to watch the tourist wonder why everyone's on line.
I wish Alan tremendous success, health, and happiness! His truck's a Wall Street institution. -
Review from Cinthia T.
New York, NY
12/1/2010
great falafel sandwich
