* Falafel Chula
CUISINE: Middle Eastern
ADDRESS: 436 Union Ave., Brooklyn, New York 11211
(Between Devoe Street and Metropolitan Ave.)
PHONE: 718.387.0303
HOURS: Mon-Sat 12pm-12am
CARDS: Cash Only
BOOZE: None
AVERAGE ENTREE:
MENU: Click Here
SUBWAY: L at Lorimer St; G at Metropolitan Ave
MAP: Click Here
DELIVERY: Yes
EXTRAS: Outdoor dining
WE SAY: The owner of Taco Chula has taken over the storefront and garden formerly known as Uncle Mina. Though not as upscale as its taco counterpart, if frequent dining is an indication of a good eating joint, this one may be our current #1. For the past week we've ordered take out from Falafel Chula almost every night. The reasons: a). They’re inexpensive and quick for a working girl like myself who doesn’t always feel like cooking. b). Their Middle Eastern food is fresh and we can tell they change the oil in the fryer frequently. c). The staff is so nice that it’s like our falafel sandwich is not only wrapped in pita, but packaged with love. Love from a waitstaff is pretty hard to find these days, especially in snarky Williamsburg, so we’re going to take all we can get. We have been having a difficult time moving beyond the Deluxe Falafel sandwich. The roasted eggplant and freshly fried green falafel is some of the best we’ve had in the city. We’ll let you know how the other menu items are when we grow tired of this sandwich. But we suspect it’s going to be a while.
- Amy Brown
CITY SEARCH SAYS: After their success with Mexican food, the owners of Taco Chulo took over Uncle Mina, a tiny Middle Eastern spot near the Lorimer subway stop. While the bare-bones decor hardly screams "hipster Epcot Center," the asymmetric-haircut crowd lines up for sandwiches to go or shares a platter at one of the handful of tables, above which hang a few prints of Egyptian art. To the delight of Uncle Mina fans, the menu of basic Egyptian fare remains the same. Fava beans mashed up with a good dose of garlic, cilantro and chile make the fuul medammas a tasty highlight, but oiliness overwhelms the subtle charms of an eggplant salad. Though crunchy, deep-green falafel could use more spicing, and chicken souvlaki runs on the dry side, both improve stuffed in warm pita with silky hummus and tart pickles. Honey-kissed baklava--pistachio or walnut--makes the perfect grab-it-and-go dessert. Like most falafel joints, no alcohol is served, but a subtle hibiscus punch or tamarind soda (each $2) makes a refreshing alternative. Note: Though drinks are refrigerated, the restaurant has no ice. For an extra $2.50, you can upgrade your sandwich with a double-sized, tortilla-like wrap called a lavash. Visit big-brother restaurant, Taco Chulo.
Comments
Falafel is one of the greatest hole in the walls soon to be discovered secret of awesome affordable food in the Burg. I have been going here maybe three times a week for the past year. The staff are friendly , their food is FRESH, delicious, as good as Middle Eastern gets in New York City--understated and underrated.Specifically, their falafel rocks as does all of their salads and dips. Their lamb is tasty and shish kabob sandwich with the fries inside is really good with yoghurt instead of tahini sauce. Keep it real, falafel. Their Egyptian sodas (the Fayrouz Pear) is memorable.
Posted by: Anna | January 24, 2008 02:58 AM
I don't know when this place was reviewed last, but i've tried the food at Falafel Chula twice in the past months and it proved to be abysmal. As someone who grew up eating this food almost daily, i can attest that rarely i taste something so unauthentic and badly done. The meat was dry and obviously frozen for too long, the falafel did not taste right, and the service was somewhere between satisfactory and outright ultra cool by being not.
Posted by: John Jackson | January 22, 2008 09:43 PM