Eloy Y.
Yelp
Who doesn't love a cheap, filling lunch of falafel, a deep-fried ball of mashed chickpeas, herbs, and spices? Started in a cramped apartment kitchen in NYC, Mamoun and Maria Chater immigrated from Syria in 1969 and started refining his mother's falafel recipe after working at several restaurants to make ends meet. Since 1971, the original Mamoun's Falafel has been serving Middle Eastern cuisine to patrons in Greenwich Village and is considered the oldest falafel restaurant in NYC. Today they have expanded to several establishments, where I grabbed a bite for lunch as a first-timer. Located off of Route 17 North in East Rutherford, upon entering the restaurant, it was clean and spacious, with large black and white historic pictures of the original restaurant and surrounding area as well as ethnic music playing in the background. At this particular location, you can order from a screen, and it's super cool with pictures or with a staff. The menu consists of vegetable and meat sandwiches and platters, along with a selection of Mediterranean sides and desserts. I decided on the stuffed grape leaves with white rice and spices accompanied by spiced turnips and the falafel sandwich served on a pita with lettuce and tomatoes, opting out of the onion and tahini sauce. The sandwich was neatly wrapped, served warm, and exactly done as specified. They actually mashed down each of the pieces of falafel into the sandwich, so that each bite you're taking with this sandwich. Everything is made from scratch using the freshest natural ingredients, and the food is tasty, flavorful, and delicious. The staff was friendly, the service was excellent, and the price was reasonable. I highly recommend it.