NYCReview
photo credit: Batata Pita Bar
Batata Pita Bar
Our first love at Batata was their signature sweet potato falafel, little deep-fried balls perfect for someone who tends to like their savory food a little bit sweet. But it’s the eggplant sandwiches, which are only available on Wednesdays, that keep us coming back to this quiet Israeli spot. The eggplant sabich comes loaded with tahini, hard-boiled egg, hummus, Israeli salad, and amba, a sweet-and-sour mango condiment, while the aptly named eggplant “sandwich” comes piled with cucumber yogurt, salad, and pickles, and beets. The goat cheese and honey malawach, a sandwich made on a round of flaky, roti-like flatbread, is part of their all-day breakfast menu and makes for a highly satisfying almost-desert.
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Food Rundown
Goat Cheese & Honey Malawach
Part of Batata’s all-day breakfast menu, this eats like a deconstructed cheese danish. The flaky flatbread is crisp and buttery, and the sweet-and-savory combination of warm, melty goat cheese and honey will have you craving this dish when you least expect it.
Sweet Potato Falafel Sandwich
All falafel sandwiches are great, but the sweet potato falafel sandwich at Batata is where it’s at. These falafel are lightly sweet, richly spiced, and extremely fluffy on the inside, as if some kind of dark magic was used in their preparation. The sandwich comes overflowing with shredded vegetables, sauces, and pickled things.
Eggplant Sabich
Only available on Wednesdays, this Israeli street food classic is stuffed with marinated roasted eggplant, yogurt, and lots of delightful chopped vegetables. It feels both decadent and healthy at the same time, which is how lunch should feel.
