TO THE MOON! (SoomSoom)

My search for the best falafel in New York continues….

SADLY, SOOMSOOM IS NOW CLOSED.

Over the last few years, a string of Israeli-style fast food joints have popped up all over the city, but especially in Midtown. These places are clean and modern and serve hearty vegetarian food (fried eggplant, hard boiled eggs with potato, and of course, falafel).

They’re also known for their impressive salad bars – not for topping with Ranch dressing, but instead to customize and complement your sandwich. SoomSoom, which has three locations in Manhattan, is said to have one of the largest selection of toppings.

Before I even stepped foot inside this tiny cubbyhole, I had a falafel ball in my mouth. The employee with the free samples was eager to give me a taste, even though I had already decided to patronize the establishment. The falafel was impressive and would have convinced most takers to come inside.

I ordered the SoomSoom original, which comes pretty barebones. A warm and tender whole wheat pita held the falafel balls and a generous schmear of hummus. The rest was up to me. This is where my problems began.

Most people would relish the chance to top their sandwich with as many unique and fresh ingredients as possible. I wanted to try everything and there was just not room in my pita for that possibility. The pickle options alone were endless (with beautiful vibrant colors) then there were sauces, olives, eggplants, peppers, and even crunchy french fry/crouton hybrids.

Not sure what those crunchy things were, but they were hard to resist.

By the time I loaded my sandwich up with colorful vegetables, I couldn’t find my falafel. This also became a problem when eating it since the ingredients were so heavy, the sandwich immediately started falling apart.

Unfortunately, the falafel (when I found it) was not as tempting as the free samples handed out on the street. These were missing a big crunch element (although I got that from some of the added ingredients) and felt a little mealy. My guess is that they started cooling off while I picked over the salad bar.

I take the blame for most of these faults. I should have showed a little restraint (and speediness) at the salad bar, but everything looked so colorful and fresh. I also wanted to get my $8 worth of toppings. There was a lot of flavor going on in that sandwich, but I’m afraid the falafel got lost somewhere in the mix. Next time, I’ll just top modestly and perhaps try to go back for seconds.

Does SoomSoom have the best falafel in NY? They might have the best salad bar and the 7 out of 10 falafel I tasted outside  could be yours if you choose your toppings wisely and quickly.