Skip to main content

Falafel, Inc.

I was delighted to check out this newer addition to the Wharf, the second Falafel, Inc. location in DC (the franchise has restaurants in other cities, as well).  Not only one of the cheapest meals I have purchased at the Wharf but one of the best as well.  The menu is pretty limited and entirely vegetarian and/or vegan.  There are Falafel sandwiches ($3), very large Falafel salads, called "bowls" ($4), Zaatar Fries and some sides like Tabouli (most of the sides are also in the sandwiches and salads).  Add Hummus to your sandwich or salad for a dollar more and you end up with a hugely yummy and filling lunch for under $6 (albeit drippy ... really, really, do grab some extra napkins).  Habibi sauce is applied to the dishes but there are a host of sauces to add to your dish or to take away.  First and foremost, the Falafel.  It's flavorful, fluffy, crunchy and really the best I have had in DC, an area replete with Middle Eastern restaurants (sorry Little Sesame).  The host of ingredients in the sandwich were a great complement to the Falafel balls and I couldn't name them all, but they created that ideal mix of salty, sweet, crunchy, creamy.  While waiting for my sandwich (they don't make it until you order and there was quite a line) I tried each of the sauces.  As much as I like spice I felt the "Invisible" sauce (a green jalapeno sauce with numbing seasoning) was too overwhelming for the sandwich.  The ~slightly~ less hot Red Sauce was still pretty strong, so I opted for the Garlic White Sauce, which I could have had all by itself (me. like. garlic.)  Other sauce options were the Falafel White and a tahini-based Mazbout.  The Wharf restaurant is small and popular.  Arriving some ten minutes after opening on a weekday, it was packed.  There is no seating inside the restaurant.  You simply go up, order, and wait, then take your food outside, where there are metal barrels acting as tables and stools.  On an August day the awnings over the tables kept them cool and piped-in Calypso music from Thrasher's Rum (next door) completed the picture for a delightful meal.  On top of all this, the company is philanthropic, using profits to aid various causes including the support of refugees.  So you are not only getting a terrific dish for an amazing price, you are helping out.  It's all sort of wonderful.  Would I eat here again?  Absolutely.  Would I make a special trip to grab another one of their sandwiches?  Absolutely.

Counter-service philanthropic Falafel sandwiches and salads
1210 Potomac Street, NW and 1140 Maine Street, SW
http://www.falafelinc.org/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Afghan Bistro

With family members moving to Springfield, it has been a struggle to find good places to eat so far afield.  After flirting with some chain restaurants near the mall, we tried a Pakistani restaurant (there are many, many Pakistani restaurants there), but it fell flat.  Finally, someone suggested this amazing place.  It's a little hole-in-the-wall in a strip mall.  With oilcloth table coverings, the vibe seems questionable.  For about a minute.  Then you are warmly greeted and given menus with a plethora of choices.  My party ordered a great number of items and every dish rose above expectations.  The staff are eager to please and checked in to make sure everything was okay, from food to drink needs.  When a member of my party dropped a piece of silverware on the floor one of the waiters swooped in with a replacement before we could even ask.   But onto the food.  We ordered the Potato and Leek turnovers, the Aushak (leek and sc...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sweets

Yes, vegetarians, even vegans, like sweets.  No, I do not eat an apple for dessert.  Sorry Mom.  I tried all these out so you don't have to -- that's why I'm fat and you lovely readers are presumably not.  All winners are, of course, subjective. Best Cupcakes:  Georgetown Cupcake .  Hate to honor this tourism trap but they truly earn their cred.   Sprinkles is a good runner-up.  Sorry, the gargantuan cupcakes at Baked and Wired are just "too much." Best Chocolate Croissant:   Best Buns .  Absolutely no competition. Best Cakes/Individual Desserts:   Randolph's Pastries .  Hands down.  I can recognize their treats blindfolded. Best Macarons:   Bakeshop .  With the added benefit of Taro Root offerings now and then. Best Pie:   Pie Sisters .  Try the Key Lime. Best Donut:  This one is tough.  For a somewhat lower guilt factor, go for the small, very affordable cake varieties ...
Post a Comment
Read more

RASA

The popular grain bowl trend gets a twist with this Indian-inspired takeout bowl place.  Same concept -- a base, greens, toppings, etc., but the options are mostly Indian inspired and the majority of offerings are vegetarian (although not vegan, given the heavy use of Ghee in cooking).  My take is mixed.  Some of the items were outstanding, some less so.  I got the Lemon Tumeric Rice, which was delightful.  Fresh and tangy, with a little bite, it was one of the best rice dishes I've ever tried.  On top of this I got the Tofu/Cauliflower protein.  It was half and half.  The cauliflower was perfectly roasted, the roasted onions delightful, and the nuts were a beautiful added crunch.  The tofu, however, was watery, and the green and red peppers well past prime.  Next, I added sauteed spinach, which was incredibly bland, and the peanut sesame sauce, which was "okay" but forgettable.  I didn't do additional toppings, although there were ...
Post a Comment
Read more