Olypmic Pita offers something a lot of pita and falafel/schwarma places do not: Laffa. What exactly is laffa? It's a freshly-made, over-sized pita baked in a tandoor oven (think nan bread in Indian cuisine). The laffa at Olympic Pita puts even the best-tasting store-bought pita bread to shame. As soon as you open the door to the restaurant, you can smell the laffa baking.
I went for lunch with a few friends (ME, JS, MF, GL, and ER), and after perusing the menu, it was pretty obvious what I was going to order. We started with an order of hummus, which came with a fresh laffa for dipping. The best way I can describe this combo is "heavenly." The hummus is garlicky and creamy, and topped with a great tahina and olive oil. Although it doesn't say it anywhere on the menu, the laffa keeps coming out as long as there is hummus left - so be sure to ask!
For my main meal, I ordered a falafel laffa, which comes with hummus, harisa (very spicy red sauce), Israeli salad, and...wait for it...FRENCH FRIES! Yes, I have had fries in a pita before, but those fries were always bland and soggy and didn't add much to the pita. Olympic Pita's fries were actually really good on their own. And, even better smushed in with falafel and covered in hummus! The falafel is delicious...a little spicy and a ton of flavor. ME, JS, and MF ordered the schwarma laffa and said the meat had a really good flavor. I am curious to try the schnitzel laffa, but always have a hard time turning down the falafel!
So, obviously I think the food is out of this world...I've stuffed myself silly each time I've been. No matter how full I feel, I can't wait to go back! But, I also want to share a few Miss Menu pointers that may not be apparent, but will make your experience even better:
- There is take-out and there is a sit down restaurant...no casual tables like a lot of lunch places. When it gets nice out, I definitely plan on picking this up and eating in Bryant Park!
- The sit down prices are more expensive than take-out - it's a little pricey for lunch, but you'll definitely leave satisfied...and maybe with another whole meal out of it!
- When you do take-out, they give you a plastic container for the salad bar, so you won't miss out on that
- Do not expect service with a smile - the waitresses are a little rough around the edges, to put it nicely!
- Tip is included in the bill (which probably explains the above statement!), so definitely no need to throw in extra $ for tip on top of the total
- Olympic Pita closes early for Shabbat (it's a Glatt Kosher restaurant), so be prepared to be rushed if you are still lingering by about 2pm on a Friday
Olympic Pita
58 West 38th Street
b/t 5th & 6th Avenues
website
Menu Pages listing
1 comment:
Mike and I tried this place today... it was great and everything you described it to be! Thanks for letting us know about it.
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