Looking for an awesome Falafel Sandwich, North of Boston!

[lexpatti]

I was just in Paris and had the best Falafel Sandwich in this tiny neighborhood and would love to find a great place to get one back here. Merrimack Valley, Southern NH??? Anyone know of a good place?

[kodi1]

If you are in Nashua, try Cedars cafe; Best Falafel ever. Ask them for a wrap and not pocket. They are closed on Sunday. Here's the address:
Cefars cafe
379 Amherst St, Nashua, NH 03063
[phone]

[drewinmrblhd]

If you are looking north of Boston, Le Bistro in Marblehead has great Falafel, it is the best I have had around the north shore. A quick and cheap alternative in Salem is the White Dove market by Salem State.

[lexpatti]

OK, tried Mysore Veggie today in Lowell and unfortunately my mouth and stomach are still on fire. I love hot foods but this was a bit over the top. Maybe it would be good if I could get past the flames. It still wasn't what I had in Paris, in a huge pocket filled with cabbages, tomatoe and vegies, huge fried falafel balls in a yogurty sauce. maybe need to head to Boston or NY to find what I had in Paris. A real Jewish Neighborhood or MiddleEastern Neighborhood. I'll keep trying. Wish I had a picture - it was sooooooo good.

[Infomaniac]

At Mysore Veggie, when he asked you how hot on a scale of 1 to 10 what did you tell him. I told him 7 and that was really hot.

Not sure what you had in Paris, but I've had falafel's in Israel, Lebanon, Greece, and they are all different. If the one you had in Paris had a yogurt type sauce, it was probably a middle eastern version.

Good luck in your quest for the ultimate falafel here in the USA.

[lexpatti]

They didn't ask me, I was kind of surprised since I had read your review. I was expecting mild since they didn't say anything. Thank goodness for the yogurty shake I had, it softened the flames. :-) I had an awesome picture of the paris falafel but something happen to that batch of pics when I downloaded (and lost them). Lenny Kravitz endorses this place in Paris - it's got lots of phenominal reviews - I think I was moaning while all 4 of us sitting on a door stoop in Paris. It was quite the scene. http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/...

[Infomaniac]

Thanks for the link and unfortunately I don't see myself trying that place anytime soon.

[gryphonskeeper]

Lex I am going to Paris in a month, give me directions, I mUST have this sandwich,

[lexpatti]

omg, I'm jealous! Just google "famous falafel, paris" no joke. It's an awesome neighborhood to hang out too ( it's on rue de rosier). Do you know where you are staying yet?

[gryphonskeeper]

No, not yet. I get the itinery in a week, I can't wait to eat tons and tons of felafels!!

[ltownhound]

Believe it or not, Mysore Veggie, a South Indian restaurant in Lowell has a great falafel sandwich. Mysore Veggie
1689 Middlesex St.
Lowell, MA 01851

[lexpatti]

I've heard great recommendation for this place for Indian too, now I must get over there. thanks.

[jpcat]

I just returned from Paris as well. Bet you ate at L'As - the best falafel ever! Let us know if any of these recommendations measure up. It would be worth a trip from Boston.

[lexpatti]

Yes, that was it. Phenominal sandwich. I'm going to try the one in Lowell that ltownhound recommmended, someone just went and gave a great review.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/408376

[jpcat]

Thanks, lexpatti. Please report back.

[Infomaniac]

A few places I've tried and liked.

Samantha's Restaurant - Salem, NH - have not been in a while.

Shadi's Restaurant - Methuen, MA - Haven't had falafel for a while here. Nice menu.

J J's Kabob & Pizzeria - Haverhill, MA - sub shop feel, excellent freshly made falafel

Mounir's Restaurant - Lawrence, MA - doesn't look like much from the outside, but fresh falafel and other arabic dishes.

New place just opened in Plaistow, NH on Rte.125 I need to check out soon.

[lexpatti]

Awesome, thanks for the list. I have a new love for thsi sandwich.

[gryphonskeeper]

I do too as well, and if you find one let me know, I will definately let you know if I find anything worthy of note. Right now I am bac in FOrt Lauderdale, and there is a great place down here off St Rd 7 in Tamarac, near Silver Pond. Its a mid eastern store with a small off business selling felafel and shwarma.

[ScubaSteve]

JJ's is really good? i live right down the street and always wondered what the place was doing so well that there was always one or two parties inside. i will absolutely check it out this weekend. anything else there you can recommend?

[Infomaniac]

JJ's is awesome....burgers fresh are huge, fries aren't frozen, any of the specials they have posted are usually great. Chicken cutlet with honey butter on top is good. Never had their pizza. They do a lot of take out, and if you ever need a cop, one is usually there.

[pfox]

Samantha's in Salem, NH has been closed for about a year - There is a new place that opened on Rt. 97 in Methuen, MA, near the Mobil station and the Green Barn - It's called Mazaj Mediterranean Grill - I haven't been but hoping to try it soon.

[Infomaniac]

Thanks for the update on Samantha's, and noticing the new place. The new place I noticed in Plaistow, NH is called Hana's Kabob's.

[mikecurr55]

mazaj is phenomenal! we order takeout from there at least twice a month - everything is very fresh and we've never had anything but excellent food.

[ScubaSteve]

did the falafel wrap at JJ's this past weekend. while it was pretty decent (for Haverhill) i found two things i didn't really care for:
1-the bread, it was plain syrian pita. i was looking for the more typical naan-type thing. a little fluffy-puffy-softer like what i get at Kolbeh and Kabob in Cambridge.
2-the falafel itself had little hard bits in it. not so much to make it un-enjoyable buy it was a little off-putting. it was kinda like the used dried chick peas and didn't fully soak them before they ground them.

oh, and the place was a little dirty, but i'm good with that.

[Infomaniac]

Sorry it was a let down. Most of the places I listed for falafel use the syrian pita wrap. The hard bits are dried chick pea and I agree, it can be off-putting. The place I went to yesterday in Lowell, Mysore Veggie has a non-pita wrap, and excellent falafel.

JJ's always seems a little dirty and i'm good with that too, because I usually get it to go. JJ's is the only falafel game in town for Haverhill though. If your willing to give them another shot, stick to the burger and fries or the specials board.