“Falafel is a meal that transcends socio-economic backgrounds—”
January 19, 2016 1:52 PM   Subscribe

A Falafel House Divided by Mohamad Yaghi and Jack Crosbie [Roads & Kingdoms]
“They work meters from one another every day, preparing falafel the way their father taught them. But instead of sharing a kitchen, Zouhair alone inhabits the original Damascus street shop. One store over, Fouad has a new shop, emblazoned with red signs that read “Falafel M. Sahyoun.” A single white tile wall separates them, a boundary that is never breached. The brothers no longer speak. Lebanon has long been a country defined by divisions, and though the brothers’ rift is not sectarian, the uneasy relationship between two falafel makers competing in close proximity is a reflection of the problems that still haunt the country.”
posted by Fizz (16 comments total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
Sad. Reminds me of the Zildjian vs Sabian Cymbals split:

After 2 years in court, Armand retained the Zildjian factory in Quincy, and Robert inherited the factory in Meductic where he founded Sabian. Not much has come to light over the feud between the 2 brothers in the time between their father’s death and the creation of Sabian cymbals in 1980. Needless to say, ties were severed and 2 of the behemoths of the cymbal industry went their separate ways.
posted by GuyZero at 2:41 PM on January 19, 2016 [2 favorites]


What a couple of stubborn dicks. They are dividing the revenues in half rather than doubling them while working half as much.

Unless of course this is a clever ruse to maintain a Sahyoun monopoly on Damascus Street.
posted by Keith Talent at 2:51 PM on January 19, 2016


Calls to mind this story:
posted by AJaffe at 3:57 PM on January 19, 2016 [1 favorite]


Spice House and Penzeys as well, though apparently it's slightly more amicable than this:
Does the rivalry make for bad blood? Mr. Penzey Jr. didn't return phone calls, but observers say tension is palpable. "We try very hard to keep peace in the family by not saying anything negative about each other," Ms. Penzey says. "We think there is enough demand for spices for every member of the family to make a terrific living at this."
posted by Ian A.T. at 4:09 PM on January 19, 2016 [1 favorite]


Or Lafayette/American Coney in Detroit. Though that rivalry is more friendly.
posted by klangklangston at 4:24 PM on January 19, 2016 [1 favorite]


Falafel is a meal that transcends socio-economic backgrounds

1. You can just say "class," for goodness' sake.
2. Rich people sending their drivers to buy them tasty poor people's food isn't exactly a stunning vision of transcendence.
posted by RogerB at 4:31 PM on January 19, 2016


2. Rich people sending their drivers to buy them tasty poor people's food isn't exactly a stunning vision of transcendence.

The thing is that rich people want to eat it, same as poor(er) people.

Rich people don't send anyone to buy Burger King.
posted by GuyZero at 4:41 PM on January 19, 2016 [2 favorites]


Those rich people are cheating themselves: felafel is incomparably better when it's hot.
posted by Joe in Australia at 4:49 PM on January 19, 2016 [1 favorite]


See also: Mikkeller vs. Evil Twin (beer), though some speculate that the animosity is a PR stunt.
posted by abrightersummerday at 4:50 PM on January 19, 2016


There is a take-out falafel house in deepest Mississauga called "Pita Nutso." The story behind this is, apparently, the owner originally wanted to call it the "Pita Nazi" (per Seinfeld) but someone (or several persons) explained to him why this might be a bad idea.

At this point, my own thinking is, "Why don't you just call it 'Falafel Bastard'?"


I offer this only as insight to the kind of personality it must take to open a falafel shop.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:26 PM on January 19, 2016 [1 favorite]


Dang, after looking at the pictures, now I want a falafel with just tahini, fresh parsley, and radish. Normally, normally I get one with everything (including pickled turnip, cabbage, hummus, carrot, onion, sumac, etc.), but that looks really good.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:32 PM on January 19, 2016 [1 favorite]


There's a bowl of pickled peppers on the counter. Maybe for snacks? Or maybe you can get your pita with variations.

Me, I'm concerned that their felafel mix doesn't have parsley or coriander in it. A local shop's felafel balls are so full of herbs that the fragrance soars up your nose, marches into your sinuses,and sets up camp in your hindbrain.

Now I'm hungry.
posted by Joe in Australia at 5:52 PM on January 19, 2016 [1 favorite]


There is a take-out falafel house in deepest Mississauga called "Pita Nutso."

In deepest financial district Toronto there's a lunch place called "Soup Nutsy." I'd imagine the same deliberations about the name took place.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:06 PM on January 19, 2016


Fouad’s shop offers the option of a spicy chili sauce, while Zouhair’s original blue-signed falafel shop only uses tahini-based taratoor. They each have regular customers—few guests seem confused by the near-identical shops, instead heading immediately to where their loyalties lie.

See, this is where it pays to be neutral and get one of each. This is a tasty, tasty dilemma that can only be resolved by bipartisan eating.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:15 PM on January 19, 2016 [1 favorite]


see also: Mikkeller vs. Evil Twin (beer), though some speculate that the animosity is a PR stunt.

I know Jeppe from Evil Twin and I promise its not a stunt. It may be exaggerated, but they definitely don't like each other.
posted by [tk] at 7:17 PM on January 19, 2016


In Beirut, rich people don't send their people out for Burger King because Burger King delivers.
posted by lauranesson at 11:19 PM on January 19, 2016


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