First time eating my favorite falafel with a review in mind – and it did not disappoint, on the contrary! Everything about this sandwich is top-notch.
- Falafel itself: Just about perfect. Very crunchy on the outside; soft, moist, and green on the inside; the ideal size. 9/10
- Bread: Yalla is justly famous for their fluffy, pillowy pita which they now distribute to stores. It doesn’t have a natural pocket from what I can tell – they slice it open to fill it – but maybe that’s what helps it stand up to the fillings. It’s delicious on its own as well. 10/10
- Sandwich fixings, taste and texture: Wow, so many ingredients to enhance the sandwich: hummus, fried eggplant, chopped salad (lettuce, tomato, and cucumber with olive oil), herbs with cilantro, green cabbage, red cabbage, pickles, “a 3 to 12 hour hard-boiled egg for creamy texture and smoky flavor.” (They smush it into the bottom of the sandwich). Plus self-serve tahini, onions with sumac and cilantro, tatbila (SO good!), fermented vegetables. Sounds like too much, but they all sing together. I skipped the spicy skhug but asked for everything else, and they volunteered the egg, which I didn’t see on the menu board (but I’ve had it before, and it’s great). 10/10
- Value for money: $12.84, a bargain for an amazing sandwich that’s quite huge! (You can get a half for ~$9, but I always get the full and enjoy every morsel.) 9/10
- Eatability: Remarkably high for this style of pita. They carefully butter the inside of the pita with the hummus, which helps its integrity, and it held up to the last bite. You do need both hands and full attention, and it’s a bit of a nosebag situation – I’ve had to wipe tahini off my face multiple times. 4/5
- Bonus points: The people are so nice! A child behind me in line was offered a teeny pita, slightly bigger than a golf ball, which kept them entertained. Free stickers. The help-yourself fixings are nice and a kind staffer encouraged me to serve myself extra tahini in a cup. Great view of Main Street Brattleboro. I’d take away a point for the long, awkward line, but there are toys to look at and they are in the bonus zone already with the bonus points! 5/5
- Total: 47/50