THE SPOT: Naya is one of those local chains that I have walked by millions of times. Since I no longer write for Midtown Lunch devoting every single day to finding an affordable mid-day meal, I never really paid much attention to this Lebanese fast casual joint, which has now expanded to nearby states and cities (Philly, NJ, and Boston). However, I found myself with limited time before an event at MSG and the the Moynihan Food Hall at Penn Station had something for everyone. So I dipped my toe in and figured I’d see if the falafel is anything to write (home) about.
THE FALAFEL : It shouldn’t have surprised me that the falafel was sitting out in the warmer station a la Chipotle. These were certainly not fried to order. Despite that, I was impressed that they remained crunchy and lacked any sort of sogginess. The orbs were impossibly loaded with seeds, seeds, and more seeds. That certainly provided the crunch, but unfortunately the spices and herbs were lacking so the flavor did the same. If you order falafel for the crunch experience, this won’t disappoint, but in my book, it needs more complexity and freshness to make it to the next level.
THE RATING: 6 out of 10 for crunch and an overabundance of seeds, but I wish these were fried to order and stuffed with some other flavor! I imagine as the business expands, the attention to detail will not increase, unfortunately.
| NAYA |
| 351 West 33rd Street (between Eighth and Ninth Avenue), at Moynihan Food Hall, inside Penn Station, Midtown West (929) 946-8406 |
| eatnaya.com |
