The Falafel Inn

The Falafel Inn ~ 333 Westport Ave. Norwalk, CT ~ (203) 354-8497

Good evening fellow Fairfield County diners.  I am honored to publish the inaugural post on our new blog.  Tonight I will inform you on my meal at The Falafel Inn in Norwalk, CT.  Being that I had never eaten a falafel in my life, I was pleasantly surprised with this small joint.  My meal was more or less a snack considering I had already eaten lunch at The Pantry in Fairfield, CT and I was craving something new during the workday.  The Falafel Inn lies on 333 Westport Ave. (continued from Post Rd), which is in the same plaza as Quiznos.  

My falafel experience began when I walked into the little restaurant that lacked A/C and was thus hotter than the outside air (83˚F).  Then, I waited 10 minutes for my falafel even though I was the only one in the place.  Finally, after paying roughly $6.50 for my falafel on pita and a water, I was ready to eat.  I sat down in a chair at a 2 person table (other side was a booth), and faced the flat-screen TV near the door.

I examined the sandwich before eating, and noticed that the inside of the falafel balls was green.  I don't know if this is normal or not, but I didn't second guess it, so I dove right in and enjoyed my first bite.  Chickpeas, hummus, cucumbers, onions, pita bread, and possibly some other ingredients were all present in each bite I took.  The sandwich wasn't incredible, but it was far from unappetizing.  It served as a tasty filling snack, which is exactly what I needed at the time.  Although it filled me up very quickly, I was able to eat a little more than half (the falafel was pretty big).  In addition to falafel, the restaurant serves shawarma, kababs, kibbie, babaganush,  and several other Middle Eastern cuisine in the option of a sandwich, salad, or platter.  Side dishes such as lentils and stuffed grape leaves are also on the menu.  

As I left the restaurant, I thanked one of the two chefs, who responded with a smile and a friendly salutation.  This certainly added bonus points to my overall experience.  In the end, I left the Falafel Inn with a full and satisfied stomach.

Overall (out of 5): 3.5

Taste: 4

Atmosphere: 3

Experience: 3.5

Would I return? Yes