Need a couple of opinions for the best mid-range falafel-hummus-dolma type place, preferably on the west side below 42nd…
Josh
Mamouns Falafel, of course!
On MacDougal St in the Village.
Jerusalem, on 38th and Broadway. Can’t get much closer to west 42nd.
The Orthodox guy with the cart, on the southeast corner of 46th and Sixth.
Ask for extra napkins.
Mamouns!!! I used to practically live at the Mamoun’s in New Haven, but have never made it to the one in the city, I wasn’t even sure it was still there. Its the first place I thought of, and if its as good as the one in New Haven, your in for a treat.
A third vote for Mamoun’s! I lived in Hayden Hall, the NYU dorm about a block north, on Washington Square West. I wouldn’t exactly call it midrange, unless it’s changed quite a lot since I graduated in 1989; it was basically a hole in the wall with about 2 booths and a couple of stools, a falafel was $1.50, and they were open until 5 a.m. We went there a lot.
Boy, do I miss that place, though! Whenever some moron would pull the fire alarm in the dorm, rather than standing outside in our jammies like idiots waiting for all 800 inhabitants to get in the 2 elevators back up to the 16th floor, we’d hang out at Mamoun’s for a while until the crowd thinned.
A fourth vote for Mamoun’s. It’s open until 5 a.m., the falafel is now $2.00, but it’s still the best.
How funny, I moved INTO Hayden Hall in 1989, and of course remember doing the same thing.
Yes, another vote for Mamoun’s.
Really? Mamoun’s is that good? I was never all that impressed with the New Haven one, so I haven’t tried the one on MacDougal.
I wasn’t kidding about the guy with the cart, by the way. His sandwiches are enormous, drippy, kosher, and fresher than fresh. The line-up for service on weekdays is something to see.
Actually, Ukelele Ike - The cart guy’s falafels on 46th St. are WAY better than Mamoun’s, but Mamoun’s is just an institution - and when you’re eating a falafel at 4am, who the hell cares what it tastes like. 
But the OP did say BELOW 42nd Street. 
Yeah, but this cart is helpful, too-- being that I work at 56th and Mad. I tried to hike over there today, but gave up and grabbed some other cart. Not too bad.
Josh
Hey Ike, you’re talking about Moeshe’s, right? I recommend the guy on the NW corner of 46th and 6th. The name on the cart is Miriam’s. Better than Moeshe’s! And at least 1 newspaper (The New York World) agrees with me.
Anyway, you really can’t compare Moeshe’s or Miriam’s to Mamoun’s. They are totally different types of food. Mamoun’s falafels are tasty snacks, while the others are meals in themselves. But I still love Mamoun’s hot sauce. Be very careful with it!
So there are two different Orthodox Jews selling falafel at 46th and 6th?
Josh
Yup. Moishe’s on the SE corner and Miriam’s on the NW corner.
I have to say that I don’t think Mamoun’s is anything to get excited about.
Miriam’s, eh? I’ll give her a try! Thanks for the tip, and don’t tell Moishe.
I’ve only had them in Boulder, CO. They were pretty bland. I’d eat one if I had to. But only if I had to.