Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Taim and Birdbath: Flavors in trios and cookies in crumbles

Falafel platter, Taim
On a rainy night several weeks ago SYB and I had dinner at the wee West Village joint Taim. Falafel isn't something I have often, despite what a previous post might have led you to believe; in the past four or five years, I've probably only eaten them a handful of times. They're just not something I crave. But after reading about this place over and over again on these two blogs and others, I figured I should give "the best falafel in New York" a try.

We both ordered the same thing, the mixed falafel platter. The falafel came in three varieties: roasted red pepper; harissa; and parsley and cilantro. The falafel was definitely good—moist inside and crisp and greaseless outside—but somehow I didn't find their flavors that exciting. I liked the red pepper one (maybe because of its slight sweetness?) but the other two didn't really blow my mind.
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Each platter came with fat, fluffy pitas that had been drizzled with olive oil and za'atar (we had both asked for whole wheat); hummus; tabouli; Israeli salad; and a trio of sauces (tahini; amba, a sauce based on pickled mango; and a spicy, cilantro-y green sauce that I don't know the name of). Everything tasted really fresh and well-prepared. If I go a next time, I will try the sabich.
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Afterwards we went to Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery, where I got a small, flaky "Green Power" cookie, studded with four little squares of candied jalapeƱo. Unfortunately by the time I got it home, the delicate pastry had broken into pieces in my bag. I tried some reconstruction, but there was no saving it.
IMG_1723.JPG "Green power" cookie, Birdbath
Alas, that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

3 comments:

  1. I've never had flavored falafels so tempting, but it doesn't seem like you would push me to go try?

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  2. No they're good...I might just not be enough of a falafel fan to appreciate the differences? I mean, ten million other stellar reviews of the place exist for a reason, I think.

    I'll go with you again! (for the sabich)

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  3. I can't believe you closed with that line.

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