It’s a shameful fact that up until last week, I’d never been to Mamoun’s Falafel. For someone who went to grad school at NYU and spent two years flitting about Washington Squre Park, it amounts to something of an outrage. Mamoun’s is an NYU tradition: cheap, fast, and flavorful falafel all just a few steps away from classes. Last week, though, I was a perfect Mamoun’s candidate. I’d gotten my haircut at my new favorite haircut secret, Sei Tomoko (not a secret anymore!), where Japanese hair stylists pound your back into submission (I started laughing the first time they “massaged” me–I felt like a punching bag) and then style your hair with exceptional skill for an incredibly reasonable $40. Afterwards, I was starving and Craig had dinner plans so I sauntered over to Mamoun’s.
Here’s the falafel I ate:
Was it the best falafel in the world? Not by a long shot. But for $4, you get an incredibly filing pita packed full with falafel, lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini. And you eat it outside on Sullivan Street (or is it McDougal?) standing up as the world passes you by. The guy in the picture at the top of this post yelled to his friend when his friend asked for his falafel on a different kind of bread: “They only have pita, fuckwad!”
It’s dinner and a show for $4. What can beat that? I only wish I was still enrolled at NYU so I could go to Mamoun’s more often. Maybe I’ll go to film school next. Another degree couldn’t hurt, could it?
MacDougal!
yum.
Oh! When I lived in New York I used to get my hair cut by Atsuko at Sei. I loved her soooooo much. Those were the only haircuts I’ve ever had where people actually stopped me on the street to ask where I’d gotten them. And the massage was awesome.
They are up to $4, last time i was there (couple of months ago), they were still $2.50. Dam this economy, what’s it going to effect next.
LMAO… “they only have pita, fuckwad”…
…and this is one of the many reasons I love this blog!
Can you just see and hear it all happening… the smell of mediocre falafel in the air and colorful commentary from its patrons.
Whoa, it used to be 2.00, then 2.50… and now it’s at 4?!
Did you have Takeshi at SEI?
Aaahhhh – Mamoun’s. Used to love to get a falafel from Mamoun’s back in the day (1986!) while at Parsons. I do miss camping out on the neighborhood steps to eat and trying to keep the tahini from dripping down my arm. Good times.
i took my first trip to the city this past weekend and walked right past mamoun’s falafel and into the hummus place. i wish i could rewind, because your falafel looks pretty darn tasty and the hummus place was disappointing at best. aha–an excuse to return to the city. :)
Confession time:
1. I’ve never had falafel but desperately want to try it.
2. I’ve neven been to NYC but desperately want to go.
3. F**kwad is one of my all-time favorite words. I use it frequently. I am convinced “f**k” will be my unborn child’s first word. Work has been dreadful the past few weeks.
I spent some time at NYU, and went to Mamoun’s about once a week! Its great, but the best falafel I’ve ever had is a toss up between Paris and New Orleans. Weird, huh?
Alfanoose in the financial district wallops this place. little piece of lebanese heaven.
It’s still $2.50. I had one yesterday at the other location on St. Mark’s. I think maybe the falafel platter is $4.
It’s still $2.50 and delicious!!!!
It’s still $2.50 and delicious!!!!