Sumptuous Sundays: Beni's Falafel

So my BF and I spontaneously decided that one of our major goals for this year is to discover as many hole-in-the-wall restaurants as possible. First on the list is Beni's Falafel!

Thanks to our newfound addiction to Nuat Thai's super affordable (yet decent) massage, we've been frequenting Makati Avenue lately and it's where we spotted this restaurant. We parked in A.Venue once and we saw hoards of people waiting outside this spot, perhaps waiting for their take-aways or to grab a seat. We thought, it must be good to get that kind of attention from people so we decided to try it out last Wednesday!

PRICE RANGE: Appetizer starts at P70.00; Main Course starts at P250.00

Beni's Falafel is not really a restaurant, but more of a street side eatery (Carinderia in Filipino term) that's a little posh due to air-conditioning. I moseyed around the place since we were the only ones there when we visited (Which is a rarity, according to the wife of Beni so woot! good timing for us!) and found out that they were featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Best Restaurants for 2013! And they've just opened last 2013!

Check out what makes Beni's Falafel famous after the break!

Huge a** pickle! It's P50.00 because one of the servers told us that this is imported and I believed her 'cuz I've never seen a pickle this gigantic in all the local supermarkets I've been to. You're supposed to order it as a trio side dish along with imported olives and chilies, but yes, they sell them individually. It's pretty sour and pretty good, and it kinda' cleans your palate!

The crowd favorite, best- seller Beni's Falafel. It's pocket pita stuffed with 3 Falafel pieces. I love the bread: it's so soft and so huge!

The Falafel mix is made from scratch daily courtesy of Beni, an Israel national who owns the joint. You can also order it without the bread-go for 5 Balls Falafel. In case you're wondering why there are only two in this photo, I already digested the three before I photographed it! :D 

The Falafel is cooked upon ordering and it's what makes it taste really, really fresh. It has a super crunchy outside and a soft, moist inside, and I gotta love the tasty medley of spices in every bite!

And they call her Shakshuka. Shakshuka is one of their best- sellers too! It's a dish of stewed, juicy tomatoes with semi- poached eggs. It's available in small, large, and 'Shakshuka only' portions-it comes with bread too. That moment, I didn't mind being a Vegan because dang, son, this savory-sour dish is soooo simple but soooo good!

Our Main Course was a bento- like dish of Chicken Breast, Mashed Potato, Hommus, and Israeli Salad. We didn't have any other option anyway because they are only serving Chicken in the main course. There's another combination for this: Chicken Breast, Fries, Yemeni Soup, and Hommus. 

Going back to my order, I love how colorful it is! The deep- fried chicken breast is not coated in flour, but rather rubbed with certain spices which makes it perfect for a dieter like me. It could taste a lil' bland for some though, but just reach for the yogurt sauce to add more flavor to it! The Hommus is my second favorite because it's super creamy and bland yet delicious (weird description, but you have to taste it to get my point :D). Beni's Hommus, btw, won in one of the National Hommus Day events here in the Philippines. Oh, if you don't like mashed potato, you can opt for plain white rice!

Simple, clean, and healthy-three best words to describe Beni's fare. I'd love to go back because I really enjoyed the Shakshuka and Falafel, plus the secretive feel of the location just made the experience all the more delicious! :D

Beni's Falafel is located in Valdez st., Poblacion, Makati. (Beside A.Venue Mall, right across the entrance where Burger Avenue is)