Falafel King's namesake sandwich falls short of royalty status

Teddy Hobbins

Falafel King's Falafel Sandwich

​Claiming to be the "king" of anything is a bold statement indeed. Burger King believes it's the king of burgers and Budweiser claims to be the King of Beers, so I assume that Falafel King believes it is the best in the falafel business. I was tempted to order a gyro when I walked through the door, but I decided instead to see if their namesake product was worthy of royalty.

At first blush, their falafel sandwich ($7) is quite simple--three falafel balls served on flat pita bread with lettuce, tomato, and tahini dressing. The falafel balls are a mixture of ground chickpeas and a blend of exotic seasonings. The spice mix was strong yet balanced, and the frying process had created a deep brown crust that helped exemplify the other flavors. Essentially, they nailed the crispy texture and delicate center that makes this Arabic treat so craveable.

The sandwich fell off pretty quickly from there. The flat bread featured good heft, texture and durability, but lacked in flavor. The tomatoes and lettuce were fresh, but struck out in the flavor enhancement category. Lastly, I would have expected a bit more interest and power from the tahini, but in my opinion, it was just a bit too flat. The falafel was like the star of a show that had little to no supporting cast, causing the entire production to fall short of its potential.

Sandwich Rating: Good, not Great. The falafel is worthy of praise, and is good enough to shine on its own, but this is a sandwich feature and when I look at the big picture, I feel there is room for improvement. However, I will go back to try the gyros and I won't hesitate to add on a side order of falafel to round out the meal.

Epic Sandwich copyright 2010 by Teddy Hobbins