The House of Pita
32 W. 48th St. (Plaza Arcade between Fifth and Sixth avenues)
(212) 391-4242
When a line forms outside a food stall, you can be sure that inside there’s something good to eat. For the lunchtime mob queued up at the House of Pita, the lure could be blintzes or soup or even a tuna sandwich.
But most often it’s falafel. The Middle Eastern sandwich of fried chickpea balls and salad tucked into a pita is the best seller at this Midtown kosher shop located just inside the Plaza Arcade on 48th Street.
What elevates this simple construction into an object of desire is fresh ingredients assembled while you wait. The chickpea balls are light, almost fluffy, with a thin, crisp coat that’s surprisingly grease-free. Pristine lettuce, dewy cucumber and sweet tomato are piled atop the subtly spiced spheres. Next comes a drizzle of satiny tahini.
All are stuffed inside a supple pita pocket, bites of which are alternately cool, crisp, smooth, crunch, soft and spicy. Further sensations can be added with puckery pickle chunks and a lip-stinging hot sauce, if you wish.
Countermen deftly wrap the hefty sandwiches first in waxed paper, then foil. Customers hand over $4, drop a tip into the paper cup and merrily scurry off with their prize.
You can also build your own sandwich here by combining three of 23 possible salads ($4.50): fried eggplant with peppers and onions, tabouleh, mixed beans with lemon and olive and hummus, to name a few.
Owner Martin Weber switched from an accounting career to open the House of Pita three years ago. He says he was inspired by his wife Ronit’s recipes, and she now heads the kitchen, also turning out savory latkes, squishy, sweet cheese blintzes and home-style soups such as vegetable with bits of carrot, parsley and green pepper.
We highly recommend their falafel. While you’re at it, treat a co-worker to one, too. He’ll probably thank you later, as mine did, with “That was delicious. It made my day.”
House of Pita also serves breakfast, and is generally open 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, closing earlier on Fridays