I recently met up with a long lost friend for lunch, who chose Alfanoose as our dining destination. Long ago, I read about Alfanoose and how delicious it was, so I was keen on giving it a try.
My friend’s chicken something platter with hummus and a bulghur side with tomato. While this was generally enjoyed, I believe the chicken was dry, but the sauce and hummus surely took care of that.
I really wanted to try the falafel sandwich, because that’s what I’d heard Alfanoose was known for. But I also wanted to try kofta, because as I’ve mentioned a billion times before, I am looking for yummy kofta. I asked if I could get just one kofta (it’s like a long meatball or a kebab with no stick), and the guy said OK but then tried to charge me $7 for it. WTF? So he saw my face and said “It’s only $1 more to make it into a sandwich,” and that is how I ended up with two sandwiches.
I’d read about the falafel being pretty damn amazing. I really like Sam’s Falafel, which is only $3 for a sandwich and is only a few blocks away, but this sandwich, at $8, better be amazing.
It was… alright. I mean, it was good, and had pickles in it, which brought another flavor to the game, but I don’t know about $8 good. The sandwich IS big, but… still! I think I’d probably pass on this next time, though I might try a platter… although those are like $13 or so. No thanks! That’s way above my price range for lunch (unless it’s a special occasion, in which case, table service! wow, I’m a brat).
As for the kofte sandwich? I unwrapped it later that afternoon to take a peek at it. I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to eat it, since I had dinner plans that night. So I, um…
opened it up… and began eating just the innards.
So, again, the combination of flavors on the inside was good. The kofte itself could be a little softer, less overcooked. Tasty. But not the dreamy soft kofta I’ve been looking for… and I don’t know about the price, either. I might be incredibly picky about that right now, but seriously, $8 for this sandwich isn’t really my thing.
Yvo says: While everything was tasty, I just felt the prices were way too high for what you’re getting. If they lowered their prices by just a dollar or two, I think I would find myself there more frequently. Otherwise, I think I shall pass… unless I REALLY want what they offer. *Note: there tends to be a bit of a wait as well, as they cook everything to order, including frying the falafel immediately as you order.
a little too expensive for my tastes but quite yummy otherwise
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