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Best falafel in DC, part two: Amsterdam Falafelshop
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Amsterdam Falafel is like a study in contrasts: an attention grabbing, yet unassuming hole in the wall with a do-it-yourself character; variety both finite and infinite. Located in a converted rowhouse, the restaurant specializes in two things: falafels and french fries. That's it. They each come in two sizes (small and regular) and you can choose between a whole wheat or white pita. Want to pay with credit? Too bad, but there's an ATM in the corner.
And then, to the left of the register, you spot the various toppings and sauces -- twenty-one in total, according to their website -- waiting to garnish your made-to-order sandwich, inspired by the falafel restaurants in Amsterdam, hence the name.
The falafel itself is nicely seasoned, and, I liked being able to identify the ingredients that were used: pulverized chickpeas, with pieces of glossy and translucent chickpea hulls and red pepper flakes speckling the inside of the fried patties. And being freshly fried, the falfels are everything it should be: hot, crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside. I felt my falafel to be a little dry, however, and the puffy whole wheat pita didn't help much. The twice fried fries, while hot and crispy, were a little over done.
The biggest draw, of course, is the toppings bar. I kept it simple with cucumber and tomato and some of the coldest, saddest cauliflower to have ever been roasted, and a very Mediterranean yogurt, dill, and cucumber sauce, as opposed to tahini, which, honestly, I didn't even notice. When I did, I got some on the side; and like the falafel, and the restaurant itself, it's pretty simple: no herbs, no lemon juice, just tahini paste thinned with water. It's quite potent, though, so if you're not a fan of strong flavors, I'd recommend the yogurt sauce.
Bottom line: While the toppings could've been a little fresher, it's a darn good falafel, although I was more impressed in hindsight.
Amsterdam Falafel is located at 2425 18th St NW, near the U Street and Columbia Heights stops on the Green and Yellow lines.
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