Awful Falafel

Don't let my title (a nod to Camp Anawanna) mislead you. The falafel featured in the image (right) is not awful at all. It's gosh darn perfect. I haven't been to Egypt, Israel or Lebanon, the Middle Eastern countries known for popularizing the falafel. But it seems that Taim Falafel and Smoothie Bar in the West Village is definitely doing this vegetarian treat justice. The word "taim", as I learned from the cashier's T-shirt, means "tasty" in Hebrew. No false advertising here. I ordered the Harissa falafel sandwich- a whole wheat pita pocket packed with homemade hummus, fresh Israeli salad, tahini sauce, mild Tunisian spices and, of course, crispy fried-to-order falafels (savory balls of ground chickpeas). I added chunks of Feta cheese- because that's never a bad idea- and devoured. For me, good food is all about texture. This little bundle offers crispy, creamy, chunky and crunchy all in the same bite. And for $5.25, I'd say that's "taim" at it's finest.

Deets:
Name: Taim Falafell and Smoothie Bar
Location: 222 Waverly Place (between 11th St. and Perry St.)
Order: Any of their 3 falafel sandwiches- Harissa (mild Tunisian spices), Red (roasted red peppers) or Green (traditional with parsley, cilantro and mint).