This falafel is the BEST on earth.
And only from this particular shop in Paris, in the heart of the Marais, on Rue de Rosiers.
I am not the first to write about this place. But after 8 years of eating here, the experience never ceases to amaze me. And therefore I feel compelled to add my review to the long list of fanatical followers.
When I cooked in Paris this was my Sunday go-to because not a lot else was open and it was a healthy and affordable place to grab lunch. L’As du Fallafel is closed on Saturday to observe the Sabbath but they serve up tasty food all afternoon on Sunday. In America restaurants are rarely closed on Sunday but not so in France. Although this is beginning to change, it can be a real drag when the last thing you want to do on your day off from cooking 14 hours a day is cook.
L’As du Fallafel is kosher. It is affordable. And it is always great. I love the fact that after years of eating here it is still reliable. The service is: friendly, English speaking, and high energy (I like that.) And the team in back of house and front remains the same – always a good sign.
Although L’As du Fallafel has a restaurant, I go to the street food window where the line extends for at least a block (but moves fast, so don’t worry). You can get fries on top and extra sauce, but that’s sort of a teenage thing to do – or a very drunk thing to do. Piling on fried salty food with extra hot sauce always sounds better when intoxicated.
The lamb schwerma is excellent, but sometimes it just feels good to pig out on a crazy delicious vegetarian meal. How often does that happen right? (Joking here, joking…)
So just what makes this kosher vegetarian falafel so crazy good that it literally attracts people from all the world? Is it the super fresh made-right-before-your-eyes chickpea fritters? Or the warm squishy homemade pita bread? Or the juicy cucumber, shredded cabbage, roasted eggplant, tomato, parsley, and spicy harissa sauce or rich tahini? Or what? What is it?
I don’t know. I wish I did. I wanted to recreate this sandwich so badly at Citizen Cake. I spent weeks trying to perfect it. I soaked dried chickpeas for days. I shredded vegetables. I made humous. I made harrissa. And it was good, but it just wasn’t this. (No shame in trying.)
It might sound bizarre to be highly recommending a visit to L’As du Fallafel on your next trip to Paris given the amount of Michelin Starred restaurants, but you must. It’s one of those things that can’t be explained but must be experienced for oneself.
And besides, walking around in the Marais – the incredible Jewish and Gay quarter filled with history & modern trendy-chic fashion and culture – falafel in hand, window shopping and munching on a deliciously sloppy sandwich on a beautiful Sunday afternoon is not a bad way to spend the day.
Address:
Telephone: +33.01.48.87.63.60
L’As was one of my favorites in Paris! I think I ate there about once or twice a week. Was I embarrassed about becoming a big ol’ ball of falafel myself?
Nope.
I don’t know how they got those falafels so darn crispy. I used to think it had something to do with the circumference. They are a smaller balls than a lot of other falafel that I have had, so the crunch to soft ratio is higher . . . or at least that was my hypothesis!
I also thought their harissa was the bomb. I don’t know that they put in it. Crack maybe!
I dragged friends here too. I actually had friends who didn’t like it!
We’re not friends anymore.
Thanks for the great post! Really takes me back to happy times 🙂
Daisy – I totally agree with you on the harissa. I tried to make it on my own and it was good, but there’s something special about it. Crack was my first thought too. I’m sorry you had to let those friends go, but I understand. Truly, I understand. I would have done the same thing 🙂
Always very tragic, but sometimes necessary. I had one friend who not only didn’t like it, but suggested we share!
WT . . .?!
Amy,
I’ve been following your blog now for years and have never commented but this post compelled me to, that’s how passionate I am about this falafel.
It puts to shame any other falafel I’ve ever tried.
As mentioned, the harissa is magical and I also love the pickled veggies and the eggplant. I’ve never had any falafel where all the accoutrements were so well made.
It’s funny, I just talked to a friend today that went to Paris last week and he raved about it.
I friggin’ miss this place. L’As forever!
Jae, thank you first of all for following my adventures over the years, and most importantly, for being a die hard L’As forever fan. I like you. And Daisy I like you too.
And if you haven’t had the opportunity to experience this place then consider yourself okay for now. Those that don’t like L’As, well, we aren’t facebook friends. Let’s just say that for now.
Hey, ya gotta draw the line somewhere right?
Haha! True. Lines need to be drawn somewhere 🙂
Hey Chef,
Paris for falafel wasn’t exactly the first thing that came to mind, but given the lack of vegetables on that last trip to Paris, l’As sounds like a good and useful culinary inclusion.
Wattacetti! I know, what’s with that? I was not impressed on this visit overall. I mean Paris is always fantastic, but maybe working/cooking on a farm has spoiled me.
Although there are true farmer’s markets in Paris there are even more fruit/produce stalls where vendors buy from Rungis (the largest importer/exporter of food in the world). I think for most restaurants Rungis has squeezed out the farmer-restaurant connection.
I’ve heard it told and I don’t know how true this is, but often food that is actually closer to the desired restaurant in Paris than to Rungis will go to Rungis first and then out. It makes sense considering there is no Wholesale food place anymore in Paris, but it’s sad too. Les Halles must have been magnificent.
In San Francisco we have a Les Halles wholesale produce area where all the local farms bring their stuff and then it goes out all over the city. Much more direct.
Odd that comment about going through Rungis first. I don’t remember which Asterix album it was but Unhygenix the fishmonger obtained all his fish from Lutetia even though the village was right next to the sea.
Will you let Significant Other guest-blog his impressions of this same trip?
Oooooo that would be interesting, mostly because I’ve never actually read anything he’s written other than text messages :)) I’ll see… could be fun!
If I didn’t have Tzatziki running all down my face we could have gotten some more pictures of this place. One of the best meals we had.