Okay, so I did the Tuesday Tramp. But the day after Azuri Cafe wowed me with its falafel, I found myself a few dozen blocks downtown, eating more delicious falafel. This was the day that New York became the happiest, friendliest city on earth, the day it was 65 degrees and sunny in February, the day I walked 100 blocks.
Yes, I walked from my little South Harlem apartment to Union Square via Central Park, 5th Avenue, and Broadway. Now that's a walkabout.
I didn't take many pictures because I was on a tight schedule, but I did spot this hawk in Central Park.
My initial destination was the Union Square Greenmarket, which was lovely to walk through, but what made the trip ultimately worth while was the falafel. Recently, Serious Eats did a Union Square falafel round-up, and they determined that Maoz reigns supreme. I was skeptical. How could a place with such a snazzy website serve quality falafel? And it's an international chain! From Europe, no less! Even the storefront was shiny and European-looking. Not that I'm judging or anything.
But you know what? This falafel was insanely good. I'm not the authenticity police when it comes to falafel (I'll leave that to the Dafna the Israeli and my Jordan correspondent, Leah), and it might have been the sun and the warmth and the happy people sitting around me on the steps of Union Square, but I was in falafel nirvana. Check it out:
I'm leaving the best part for last. Are you ready? Here it is:
Done. Maoz, my heart is yours forever. Also, turns out there's one on the Upper West Side, so I won't have to make the 100-block trek unless I really feel like it. Which I don't think I will until it's spring in New York for real.
I ate at Maos about twice a week in Madrid--there's one near Puerta del Sol in the center of the city. It's delicious! Plus, I would sometimes go in and just order one or two falafel as a snack, and the workers would often give them to me for free. --anne
Posted by: Anne | March 02, 2009 at 01:19 PM