Food is a staple in everyone's day-to-day life, and one delicious dish that is synonymous with Middle Eastern cuisine is falafel.
The ball-shaped wonder is made out of chickpeas or fava beans, and is deep fried to create a crunchy mouthful of deliciousness. Falafel is a versatile dish that can be turned into sandwiches, added to salads or just eaten plain.
The origins of the dish are unclear, as the way falafel is made depends on the choice of ingredients and the country in which they are made in, however, there are two popular theories for how the dish was popularised. The first is that falafel was brought by Copt Christians who moved to Egypt, over 1,000 years ago, while the second theory is that they came from India in the 6th century. After the British conquered Egypt in 1882, the army liked fried croquettes from India, and asked Egyptians to use local ingredients to create a version of the dish, which led to falafel.
Here are some great places Connector has come up with to enjoy the crunchy, deep-fried treats, that are perfect for a quick bite or as an accompaniment to a meal.
Operation Falafel
As in the name of the restaurant, Operation Falafel at Jumeirah Beach Residence, is the place to visit to delight in delicious falafel. Diners can tuck into a variety of falafel dishes like classic deep-fried falafel, stuffed falafel filled with onions, pine nuts and shatta which is a spicy sauce topped with sesame seeds, freek n falafel salad made with freekeh which is a Middle Eastern whole grain, cucumber, olive, capsicum and pomegranate with dressing, falafel wrap, falafel sandwich, and special veggie falafel sandwich.
www.operationfalafel.com
Zaroob
Zaroob at Jumeirah Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road, Radisson Blu Residence in Dubai Marina, and First Avenue Mall in Motor City, is a brilliant spot to enjoy a range of falafel-centric dishes. Serving tastes from around the Middle East, savour in dishes including falafel, falafel salad, stuffed falafel with crunchy onions and sumac that is a tart spice, and falafel sandwich served in either saj bread which is an unleavened flatbread, or Lebanese flatbread.
www.zaroob.com
Allo Beirut
With five branches in Dubai at City Walk, JBR, Al Warqa, Motor City and Hessa Street, as well as two branches in Abu Dhabi at Al Najda and Khalifa City, Allo Beirut is a brilliant place to relish in Lebanese food at its finest. The restaurant has a range of dishes, sure to make the taste buds sing including falafel saj sandwich, falafel sandwich, falafel extra sandwich, and falafel sharing platter that comes with pickled turnip, pickled chilli, tomato, parsley and tarotor sauce made out of tahini.
www.allobeirutstreetfood.com
The Hummus House
Falafel lovers, The Hummus House at Cluster Y in JLT, is the place to go. The restaurant brings the taste of Jordan to the UAE, and the deep-fried treats are a must-have off the menu. Savour in dishes like regular falafel with tahini, stuffed falafel filled with onions, sumac and spices, falafel salad, falafel sandwich, as well as muhammara that is a spicy dip, labneh and falafel mana'eesh.
www.thehummushouse.com
Al Mallah
Al Mallah, with two branches in the UAE, one in Dubai on 2nd December Street and another in Sharjah on Al Wahda Street, is the place to enjoy amazing falafel. The restaurant is popular among locals and residents, and while dining relish in a variety of dishes including falafel, falafel sandwich, and falafel plate with tahini, pickled turnip, tomato, parsley mix and bread.
www.almallahuae.com
Karak House
Karak House the restaurant serving Emirati flavours on Downtown Boulevard, is an amazing place to check out to enjoy falafel. Delight in dishes like falafel salad and one of their popular dishes, the beetroot falafel, a unique take on traditional falafel made with beetroot and served with hummus, radish, pomegranate, greens and tahini, stuffed in pita bread.
www.karak-house.com
Zaatar w Zeit
With 10 branches in Dubai, five in Abu Dhabi and one in Sharjah, Zaatar w Zeit is a brilliant place to dine at, to relish in delicious Lebanese flavours. The restaurant serves a healthy touch when compared to the traditional way falafel is made. The brown baked falafel is baked rather than deep fried, and is served with tahini, tomato, pickled turnip, mint and radish, wrapped in multigrain flatbread.
www.zaatarwzeit.net
Aroos Damascus
A lovely place to enjoy tucking into falafel is Aroos Damascus, which has three branches in the UAE, two in Dubai on Sheikh Zayed Road and in Deira, and one branch at Al Qasimia in Sharjah. Bite into dishes like falafel, falafel sandwich, and falafel Arabic plate.
www.aroosdamascus.com
Al Mandaloun
Al Mandaloun at DIFC is a great place to bite into crunchy falafel. The restaurant serving authentic Lebanese food is one to visit, and has been serving food to customers since the 1980s. Relish in a delicious falafel plate, served with tahini, pickles, and salad.
www.al-mandaloun.com
Shawafel
Shawafel at Atlantis The Palm, is a lovely spot to enjoy the delicious flavours of two Middle Eastern classics, falafel and shawarma. The street food eatery offers a range of dishes to enjoy like falafel platter, falafel salad, Lebanese falafel shawarma, and the 'Shawafel' which is a fusion of shawarma with falafel.
www.atlantis.com