📍Location: Paris, France
The first time I had Falafel was at this store. The taste of the first bite truly left a lasting impression on me; I couldn't believe how delicious this fried food was, and it wasn't made with classic meats, but with very unassuming chickpeas!
Falafel is a common food in the Middle East, made from fried chickpea paste shaped into small balls (vegan-friendly🍃). It can be served in dishes or in pita bread. This famous place is known for its pita bread, and they also sell regular meals, but it’s more suitable for dining in. I visited twice and opted for takeout each time, so I can’t share the dine-in experience.
There’s often a long line outside because it’s really that good! 😆 The line is divided into two sides: the left side is for takeout, while the right side is for dine-in. If you don’t want to wait too long, you can go for takeout, and they make the pita bread quite quickly. There are a few chairs across the street where you can sit and eat; if those are taken, people just stand and eat. It’s sort of like a street food experience.
The portion of the pita bread is quite large; two people sharing would still feel full. Since I was alone this time, I only ordered 10 chickpea balls for just €6, which is a great price abroad!
The outer layer of the chickpea balls is fried to a crisp, while the inside is moist and cooked just right, so it’s not dry. The texture is slightly crunchy, and the more you chew it, the more flavorful it becomes. It is topped with a white sauce that resembles yogurt sauce, and since I was told to add a bit of spice, there’s also some red hot sauce. Overall, it has a slightly tangy yogurt flavor with a touch of spiciness, and there’s no strong bean taste. I hope this description doesn’t sound strange, but it’s just really delicious; a taste you can’t find in Taiwan.
I think the impressive part about this place is that, for this type of foreign cuisine, unless you’re a local, outsiders sometimes struggle to adapt or accept the flavors. However, they manage to cater to tastes from all around the world, which is truly remarkable! If the sauce were just a bit saltier or tangier, I might not have accepted it, but they’ve managed to find a good balance, which is impressive! Ultimately, the chickpea balls are fried well enough that the other sauces are just there to add a little flair.
However, eating 10 chickpea balls by myself was really too much. Chickpeas are high in starch, and by the end, I genuinely felt like I might burst 😂 The taste is deeply etched in my mind, so I probably won’t need to visit again for a while. I’d recommend sharing with at least two people, or asking if they have takeout boxes so you don’t have to eat it all at once.
This is the best Falafel in my opinion, and I recommend it to everyone. If you’re shopping in the Marais district of France, you must visit! 👍
✨Additionally, unrelated to the food, next to this store, there’s a small shop selling second-hand clothes, with prices for clothes and bags mostly ranging from €5 to €15, which is very cheap! 😆 I suggest you make it part of your itinerary, so your trip in the Marais district will be quite rich! 🎉
The difficulty in exploring exotic cuisine: it must be authentic and delicious. Just like local Taiwanese cuisine, not every restaurant is delicious, so if you judge it based on the decoration or the nationality of the chef, it will still be distorted and misunderstood.
Thousand and One Nights Kitchen is one of the few places where the decoration style, food quality, and even prices are quite honest. The store is filled with various Middle Eastern-style utensils or lamps, with Persian carpets hanging high on the walls, and it specializes in Iranian and Middle Eastern cuisine.
For me, the characteristic and strength of Middle Eastern cuisine lies in the meat, whether it is beef, mutton, chicken, or fish (Islam does not eat pork). It is marinated with spices and often has ground meat dishes, so I always eat it when I go there many times. It’s too full, so I suggest you eat with caution even if you think you’re a big eater!
According to the investigation, the boss was originally a trader and gradually expanded various business projects. For example, "saffron" is often used in in-store cuisine. Although it is often regarded as the most expensive spice in the world, it is widely used here because Persia is a major exporting country.
Since I am not good at describing the taste of Middle Eastern cuisine, I will only introduce a few of my favorites and see the photos for the rest.
Share a special Israeli cuisine specialty store. It is located inside Chun Dazhi Shopping Mall. It has one store in Xinyi District, and this is its second branch. In addition to the original menu, hummus is also available for takeout. The dishes in the store can also be enjoyed in the food court seating area of the store next to it. Compared to our store, it is more casual!
-Roasted Vegetable Hummus-New Product-The hummus part is also very dense, with a slight sweetness of roasted vegetables but not too obvious. In the middle, there are some soft chickpea particles, yogurt and spices. , the slightly sour and rich flavor of spices tastes pretty good! There is a circle of olive oil drizzled around the outside. When combined with hummus and emulsified, the texture will be denser!
If you want to try rarer dishes or the authentic flavor of hummus, it’s worth the experience!