Vegetarian Experiences in Paris

I grew up in Southern California with a taco shop on every other corner. The greasy, salty, fatty, cheesy peasant food coming from these brightly colored drive-throughs is a part of my being. I can resist the temptations for chocolate, sugar, coffee, and other normal binge-foods. But nothing can stop me when I crave sloppy, juicy, greasy peasant food.

Crepes, paninis, pomme frites, tartines … nothing in Paris has quenched this craving for me. One night I saught a new cure for this binge. I remembered seeing some falafel stands in the Marais and I was a man with a mission. How determined was I? I passed La Victoire, the perfect vegetarian restaurant without a second thought. I zipped by Jewish bakeries filled with tempting strudels, crepe stands, and the mother of all Jewish delis (only to find out later that they had incorporated a falafel window).

Finally I found eden: rue des Rosiers. I was surrounded by falafel stands with names that reminded me of my taco-shop heroes. I spun around trying to decide between super falafel, falafel king, falafelbertos, el falafelitos, las quatras falafitas… Well maybe I am stretching it a bit. However, there are a few supers” and “kings” on the street. I finally chose one because the cook was tapping on the window, waking me from my daze, and beckoning me in for a treat.

Big shoes to fill

Don’t get me wrong, but I am a jaded falafel eater. San Jose, California has the ultimate falafel experience. All things falafel must be compared to the The Falafel Drive-In’s sandwhich. The falafel balls are the star of the show. They are crisply fried, green and moist on the inside. They fill the pita and the veggies and pita are merely supporting actors. It is fast, friendly, packed, and you think about how good your lunch was for days.

The Verdict

That’s a hard standard to beat. How did Falafel Alley hold up? They are different. Satifying, tasty, vegan, comforting, messy, but different. You have to search for the falafel in this salad in a pita. You’ll get an overflowing pita pocket with some falafel balls, cabbage, roasted eggplant, tomatoes, tahini sauce, and more.

It actually comes full circle to my original taco-shop craving. San Diego burritos are simple. A vegetarian burrito has refried beans, rice, cheese, and maybe guacamole and/or sour cream. The beans are the standout, they are cheap, and filling.

I was shocked by the vegetarian burritos in the San Francisco Bay area. These behemoths can weigh several pounds. They are filled with everything you can imagine, no ingredient stands out, they cost a bit more, and they are too filling. They leave you distended and wishing you had left half of the burrito on the plate. But you stil look forward to the next one. (El Galope in East Palo Alto is by far the best taco shop in the world. Trust me!)

So, back to Falafel alley. Give this area a try if you are craving a hearty dinner on the go, miss the peasant food of your local area, don’t want to spend a fortune (6€), and are on or near the #1 line. Take the St. Paul exit and start meandering towards the center of the Marais.