Mamoun's Falafel

For four years, I spent my life consuming ramen noodles and fast food, working at a restaurant, living off of pocket change and putting on pounds of which I have yet to shed the majority. Invariably, food consumption took place during odd hours and in locations that almost never served healthy food and had prices that were manageable to the broke college student. It usually was synonymous with alcoholic consumption, but still.

Perhaps I no longer have the pulse on what kind of fare is available to college students these days, but I wish we had places like this in New Jersey that weren't exclusively pizza places or food trucks that serve grease-infused sandwiches. New York City is full of them; taco trucks, hot dog stands, Korean bbq, French crepes, and Middle Eastern food.


Storefront

Mamoun's Falafel fits that mold perfectly. Opened in 1971 on a very famous block, Mamoun's Falafel has neighbors like the Comedy Cellar and Minetta Tavern. This made me optimistic about the visit. It is the oldest falafel restaurant in New York. Located on McDougal between West 3rd and Bleecker in Greenwich Village in Manhattan, this small Middle Eastern restaurant feeds the local NYU crowd and the like through all hours of the night. Known for their extremely reasonable prices, a friend suggested this place; and since it was a Lebanese eatery, I was unable to turn him down for a visit.

I am as persnickety as they come when Lebanese food is brought to my plate. I've been eating it my whole life -and much like a well seasoned filet, fresh sushi or perfectly cooked slice of pizza - I think I am relatively well qualified to determine it's up to standard.

Tripoli, Tanoreen, Sally's and George's Restaurant, three Middle Eastern restaurants all located in Brooklyn, are my benchmarks of good Lebanese food. Tanoreen has gotten tremendous press as of late, Triploi is satisfactory, and the third is a place I have been going to since I was a kid.

Much like with Indian cuisine, I think people have the same culinary apprehensions about Lebanese food. And since falafel balls are not necessarily aesthetically pleasing, I can understand why. But that never stopped me before.

My friend ordered a falafel sandwich ($5.00) and I ordered a smorgasbord of menu items; 4 grape leaves ($2), side of 3 falafel ($1), spinach pie ($2.50), shawarma($5) side of hummus ($1.50).


Shawarma sandwich

The shawarma sandwich was my "main course." As I waited for my order in their small two-tabled location, I saw that the meat (shaved lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, beef, or a combination of any) was cooked in spices on huge rotisserie. Layers of flavor were sliced off into a warm pita and topped with lettuce, tomato and special sauce. It was very good. It definitely would hit the spot if I had the munchies. The sauce, similar to Greek tzatziki sauce that tops gyros, had a kick to it. But It was a good complement to the crispness of the lettuce and warmth of the meat. I did manage to sample their chicken kabob sandwich, which I would recommend over the shawarma. The chicken kabob was able to work better with all of its ingredients, where the shawarma's flavors get lost in the mix.

The grape leaves were the first major disappointment. I adore grape leaves. It's what I look forward to when I have Lebanese food. There are many variations of grape leaves. In Lebanese cuisine, grape leaves, sometimes referred to as dolmas or yabrak, are stuffed with cooked, ground lamb and/or beef, rice, garlic and spices. the Greek alternative, is typically meatless.

Mamoun's dolmas were meatless, which took me by huge surprise. They were substandard at best. The lack of meat created a weaker flavor profile and left me wanting more to the dish. But I did finish the dish, albeit dispassionately.


Spinach Pie

Sadly, I was knocked down another rung when I tried the spinach pies. I unwrapped the tin foil packaging to unveil a flimsy and soggy, rectangular disaster. The puff pastry/ phyllo dough was steaming hot but was a poor vessel for the spinach. The flavors disagreed and I was unable to finish it. These were, quite possibly, the worst spinach pies I have ever eaten.


Falafel

Fortunately, the falafel was good. Ground chick peas and spices are rolled into small spheres and deep fried. Mamoun's were slightly more spicy than others, but the kick is what made it unique and memorable. I topped it off with some hummus and sandwiched it between some warm pita.

The hummus, thankfully prevented probable misery and despondency, by merely not sucking. It was thick, rich and creamy. I could taste the chickpeas, olive oil, garlic and tahini in each bite. The warm pita allowed a pocket for me to mask failure of grape leaves with the spread.

Cheap eats go a long way for college students, or anyone on a budget. Middle Eastern can be a good option because this cuisine isn't necessarily unhealthy if you pick the right thing. However, I think a lot of time that people will sacrifice good quality to save a couple of bucks when it isn't always necessary. You can get a side salad from Wendy's.

If you're in the mood for cheap eats, this is a good place to slake your hunger pangs; particularly for the college or midnight bar-hopper crowd. Ultimately however, I'd say skip Mamoun's if you are after a focus on preparation and not in a rush. They may have been first, but they're certainly not the best.