OK, so Maalouf’s doesn’t have the best falafel in town after all. Hands down, Sanad’s on K Street is better. Freshly fried falafel balls, broken up on the sandwich (this is key!), nice fresh veggies (the “traditional” has cucumber and peppers instead of lettuce and tomato), good size (small, more snack-like, but can be a lunch with one of the bomb deli offerings), and good green falafel flesh with accompanying herby flavor (out of the half-dozen times I’ve been there, the flesh was a little undercooked once). There are bottles of good hot sauce (and a vat of free olives), which can add a whole dimension to the sandwich. I don’t know what the sauce on the traditional falafel is, but it’s wicked good. I’ll ask next time I go.
In the deli case, the tabouleh, dominated by parsley, is extremely acidic but great. The hummus is finely pureed, rich and creamy with tahini (the polar opposite of Crest Cafe’s runny, pulpy, sour but otherwise flavorless chickpea mush). The “grilled” eggplant is not so hot: super oily, under-salted, and slices towards the stem end are tough & undercooked. The foul (fava beans) is good.
I like to end things on a negative note, so I’ll say this: there’s a real problem with the free water pitchers. The water tastes so strongly of stale freezer that it’s undrinkable. Next time I guess I’ll ask for water from the tap, so I don’t have to drink the horrible melted ice.
I agree. Their falafel is delicious. I can’t wait to go back.
We went last night, he had run out of Falafel and had to make us some from scratch (or some version thereof) which meant it took forever but was insanely delicious. I also had the garbanzo bean salad and the curried cabbage. Super good. And the water was refreshing and freezer free.
I was walking in downtown and I decided to try this place out, I ordered the Gyro sandwish and it was so expensive and very small, the dolmas are very expensive, all in all the food is not that great, also the owner is little bit in the sour mood in that day. My friend told me where she get her Falafel, dolmas, tabouleh, houmus the place called Mediterranean Market on Fulton ave, and she was right the place is unique and all there stuff fresh and way much cheaper and it taste better than any place I’ve been. They have huge selection of Feta cheese, olives, and lots more.
This place is must see