Moist and fluffy falafel: can it be done in central Ohio?

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Moist and fluffy falafel: can it be done in central Ohio?

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Started 5 months ago by Mister MooCow
Latest reply from rus

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Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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I always assumed that the overcooked/undersized oily nuggets of hardpan that most (all?) places around town call "falafel" was the real deal. As such, it didn't really appeal to me. But then I visited a place where they know how to make real falafel and I fell in love. Now I can never go back to eating the old slag balls.

So, I need to find a local fix-- where can I get falafel that is moist and fluffy in town? I was pointed to the Pita Hut at Graceland. Their falafel was good but suffered from being too small (and thus overwhelmed by the frying process, becoming more crust than fluff). I think the optimal diameter is close to 2 inches or so -- Pita Hut's are more like 1 inch.

Anyone know of another place this poor ful-ish goy should try? Bonus points if the place has lafa.

---
moo!

Posted 5 months ago #
patient_zero
Falafel District
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Hmmm. I think all of the falafel here in the Falafel District in is on the smaller side, but maybe they can be coaxed to make an optimal diameter. Nazareth Restaurant may be the most flexible of all of them here in the Cleveland Ave/161 area.

I usually ask for extra tahini when they are small and dry and that seems to satiate me, but you may be onto something.

There was a Middle Eastern restaurant (now closed) that added a pickle spear in their falafel pitas and it was dang good that way.

These are good with falafel too, but they are a little salty.

Posted 5 months ago #
AmyArt21
Short North
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Have you tried Pita House on the East Side (Broad St - Bexley/Eastmoor neighborhood)?
http://www.pitahouserestaurant.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pita-house-columbus

I haven't eaten there, but my parents swear Pita House's falafel is better than what they ate when they were in Israel.

Posted 5 months ago #
jarsloth
west side
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I've always liked Mazah's falafel in Grandview:

http://www.mazah-eatery.com/

Posted 5 months ago #
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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It needs to be said that Bill O'Reilly ruined the word "falafel" for me, forever.

Posted 5 months ago #
hungrywoolf
Victorian Village
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The only falafel that I have had in Columbus that comes close to the falafel I had in Jerusalem was at Salam Bakery (at Columbus Square). Sadly they only make it when their Grandpa is here visiting from Jordan. He made me a falafel wrap once, when we were there on a food tour, and it was amazing.

Posted 5 months ago #
Kbear919
Villaggio Italiano
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Falafel District :)

Posted 5 months ago #
Cookie
Flyntonville
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Kbear919 said:
Falafel District :)

I want to go there.

Posted 5 months ago #
ThisGuy

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I think Lavash puts pickle in with their falafel sandwich.... Also, I think they have pretty good falafel though I am not a connoisseur...

Posted 5 months ago #
joev
Merion Village
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Aladdin's puts pickled cucumbers and turnips on their falafel rolls. They tend to make larger, less crisp falafels, too.

Posted 5 months ago #
Mercurius
First Avenue
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Have you tried Mazah in Grandview? Thought they were very good.
http://itinerantfoodies.com/2010/02/23/mediterranean-delight/

Posted 5 months ago #
catnfiddle
Giant Corncob District
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I agree with the assessment that Salaam Bakery has the absolute best (got spoiled by a month in Israel where I ate nothing but falafel and pita), but Mazah comes close enough that I'm now craving it just by reading this thread.

Posted 5 months ago #
Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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AmyArt21 said:
Have you tried Pita House on the East Side (Broad St - Bexley/Eastmoor neighborhood)?
http://www.pitahouserestaurant.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pita-house-columbus

I haven't eaten there, but my parents swear Pita House's falafel is better than what they ate when they were in Israel.

I haven't tried them, but the picture on their website makes me think they serve the tiny balls that make me sad. Are they actually bigger/fluffier?

Posted 5 months ago #
Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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catnfiddle said:
I agree with the assessment that Salaam Bakery has the absolute best (got spoiled by a month in Israel where I ate nothing but falafel and pita), but Mazah comes close enough that I'm now craving it just by reading this thread.

Right there with you on being spoiled by being in Israel -- thanks for all the pointers to Mazah. I've actually been there but never since I discovered how wonderful good falafel can be. The pics on their FB page look encouraging (although I couldn't get a good idea on the size). I think I need to go there for lunch...

---
Mmmm, skhug yarok

Posted 5 months ago #
patient_zero
Falafel District
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Cookie said:
I want to go there.

Falafel crawl, Cookie? Maybe Mr. MC, catnfiddle (ate nothing but falafel and pita for a month), and who knows - maybe even Bethia and Andy from Columbus Food Adventures would join us.

@Mr.MC - here's a punchy Palm phone photo of the falafel pita at Nazareth Restaurant. Check out those ~~balls~~ patties. I can't remember if they were moist. They probably were. Their food is really good.

Posted 5 months ago #
catnfiddle
Giant Corncob District
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Well, I DID try some Israeli pizza and crepes, but for the main part, I was a horrible combination of poor and fussy (a product of being almost 16).

Posted 5 months ago #
Cookie
Flyntonville
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patient_zero said:
Falafel crawl, Cookie? Maybe Mr. MC, catnfiddle (ate nothing but falafel and pita for a month), and who knows - maybe even Bethia and Andy from Columbus Food Adventures would join us.

I'm in. I want to see this Falafel District.

Posted 5 months ago #
rus

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jarsloth said:
I've always liked Mazah's falafel in Grandview:

http://www.mazah-eatery.com/

They have good food in general.

Posted 5 months ago #