Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Restaurant review: Pita Joe
When in Rome, you order schnitzel. OK, not Rome, but a new fast-food place known for its schnitzel. Why, as I broke my years-long rule of not eating anything that comes from 14th Street (Whole Foods excepted) did I order the falafel? Could it be because I think schnitzel looks sort of nauseating, even under the best of circumstances? In any case, even with the student discount, this was a falafel sandwich for $6.50, which is to say, my expectations were high. Did it deliver? Kenvelo. It was far better than the unfortunately far more convenient and aesthetically indistinguishable Maoz, but not as good as the out-of-the-way but still walkable Taim. Although I can't quite judge, given that I remember thinking, as I entered the place, that I was really not at all up for a hummus-based meal of any kind.
Should you ever show up in Northern California, ping me and I'll direct you to the Falafel of the Gods.
ReplyDelete"I broke my years-long rule of not eating anything that comes from 14th Street"
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with your rule in general, it's worth noting that there is a Chickpea on 14th Street which is perfectly fine.
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And tangentially, since you are always pleading poverty to a degree that would make a sensible person a left-winger, are you are aware of the existence of Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches? Very cheap and very good. And Sarah Palin hates the place.
And as long as we're on the topic, I'm a enormous fan of pizza. Given that pizza is relatively cheap, and that lower Manhattan is home to the best pizza in the Western Hemisphere, (with a passable counter-argument to made for New Haven), I tend to eat my fair share from places like Luzzo's.
ReplyDeleteSo when Artichoke opened up recently to relatively good reviews, I was pretty psyched. Until I realized that it was on 14th Street.
Which would prevail, I wondered, the good reviews or the 14th Street curse?
Turns out the pizza there is awful. 14th Street curse uber alles.
Paul Gowder:
ReplyDeleteI want this Gods-falafel!
Petey:
I plead cheapness and gradstudentdom, not poverty, because of these heaps of cultural capital I'd have if anyone much cared about knowledge of French Jewish history.
Artichoke was overrated, but this does remind me that I have in fact broken the 14th Street rule in the not-so-distant past.