May is here and the carts are out! Plenty of newcomers on Library Mall. Athens is justifying its victory in the citywide food cart contest, serving first-rate gyros with french fries in the sandwich, and a solid spanikopita too. And on Tuesdays and Wednesdays we now have Ingrid’s Lunch Box, once chosen by Bon Appetit as one of the nation’s top ten food carts. Meanwhile, two recession-victim restaurants, Africana and King of Falafel, have reinvented themselves as carts; haven’t tried either, but K of F was dependably good when it was a building.
French fries on the gyro – very efficient! Africana was just OK; I’m thrilled Ingrid’s is out during the week. I’m also a fan of the $2 spring roll as big as your head at the green juice place called “Healthy Foods” or something like that…
It is very funny that Madison now has a King of Falafel restaurant. When I was a child there used to be the King of Falafel restaurant in Jerusalem. I think it was called so because it was in King George Street (but this is just a guess). After a while someone opened on the other side of the street the Original King of Falafel restaurant and soon there were a few more restaurants with some variation on the name. And as monarchs tend to do, they started a falafel war.
So I wonder whether my past is following me, but in a typical Jerusalem way, very slowly. So in 10 years from now would there be the King of Falafel restaurant here in Ascot? Or even better the Original King of Falafel restaurant?
Ooh, I’ve always wanted to try Ingrid’s Lunch Box (but usually made it to the market after they closed). I might have to plan my visit to Madison around being free Tuesday or Wednesday for lunch.
Is Kakilima still around?
Doesn’t that make the fries soggy?
Sally, Kakilima is still around, and very delicious! Gratuitous self-link: http://www.madisonatoz.com/2010/04/kakilima.html
And the place I was thinking of is called “Fresh Cool Drinks.”