Sherman's Food Adventures: Best Falafel

Best Falafel

It goes without saying that I have some pretty awesome friends.  Not only do they willingly go eat with me, they also put up with my incessant picture-taking and constant yammering about the food.  But there are times that I have to eat alone.  Yes, I'm acutely aware that this is not a unique phenomenon, however, I still have this phobia about taking photos of my ramen surrounded by strangers.  So the best thing to do in this case is to get takeout, in particular something in the form of a donair and/or shawarma.

Driving down Commercial Drive, I stopped when I spotted Best Falafel.  Best Falafel?  It's like in Elf, Buddy found the "best coffee in the world".  Since I was rather hungry, I left the "best falafel" for another day.  This time, I decided on the Lamb Shawarma Platter which was a good portion size.  The slices of lamb were succulent and well-seasoned.  I found the rice to be far too soggy though and to make matters worse, the sauces added to the moisture.  The hummus was very good though with a smooth creaminess that was garlicky with a nice hit of acidity.

On another visit, I did finally end up with the Falafel Wrap complete with all the fixins including lettuce, tomato, banana peppers, pickles and pickled turnip.  With just the right amount of sauce, the whole thing was not overly wet while super garlicky.  The crunch and acidity from the ingredients helped brighten up the flavours.  As for the falafel itself, since it was reheated with a microwave, it was no longer crispy.  It was moist though with a mild array of spices.  I also got the Chicken Wrap which was appreciably more impactful in terms of depth of flavour and texture.  Naturally, with meat replacing falafels, this wasn't surprising.  I found the meat to be on the drier side with crispy bits which was okay since the other ingredients provided moisture.  Overall, I enjoyed the food at Best Falafel, in particular the wraps.  Despite being satisfied by the portion size, it is a bit smaller than other places at either the same or higher price point.

The Good:
- Condiments add both texture and punch of garlic
- Since they open up the pita and make a wrap rather than a pocket, the ingredients are more even

The Bad:
- Portion-to-price ratio is not as good as some other places (such as Donair Affair)
- Falafel is okay, but not "best" (I'm half-joking here...)

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