PrintSabich Pita Sandwich from Taim
Although Israeli eatery Taim is known for having one of the best (and my favorite) falafel sandwiches in the city, about a third of the time when I visit I don't crave falafel, but a sabich pita sandwich. Instead of fried chickpea balls, the fresh, fluffy pita of a sabich is stuffed with thick rounds of fried egglant that melt like butter, along with a sliced hard boiled egg, hummus, Israeli salad (diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and parsley in a lemon mint dressing), marinated cabbage, tahini, and amba (pickled mango sauce). Every other bite is full of creamy, crunchy, and saucy goodness. I find it as addictive as falafel.
Iraqi Jews introduced the sabich to Israel, where it grew to be popular fast food. I only wish it were as popular here as falafel. Only three results come up when I search for it on Menupages, while falafel returns 250 results. If anyone can recommend other good places to get a sabich, let me know. Not that I have anything against going to Taim over and over again.
Taim
222 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10014 (map)
212-691-1287
Related: Best Falafel in New York
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
25 Comments:
wow, i've never even *heard* of a sabich, but as a loyal falafeler, i think i now need to broaden my horizons -- immediately!
rawksavvy at 2:21PM on 02/17/09
I've had a similar sandwich at Aroma on Houston and Greene street -- it's called the "Mediterranean" over there.
jayanthid at 2:40PM on 02/17/09
I've never had Taim's, but I have had sabich before. It's so good someone should open a cart called Sabiatch!
Joe DiStefano at 2:55PM on 02/17/09
I'm very interested that you mention the marinated cabbage.
Back in 1976, when I went to Israel to do that whole Jewish-teenager-on-a-kibbutz thing, we first spent 6 weeks up north in Kiryat Shmonah, to learn Hebrew. There was a falafel stand in the town square that sold the best felafel I ever had in my entire life--and they used a kind of pickled cabbage instead of lettuce that has haunted my dreams for over 30 years.
I'll definitely go check out this sabich, to see if they use something similar. I don't suppose it's in their felafel, too, is it?
klg19 at 3:11PM on 02/17/09
Hummus Place and Hummus Kitchen both have it. They call it a "sabih".
AnastasiaB at 3:17PM on 02/17/09
@jayanthid: Thanks! I'll check it out if I get the chance.
@klg19: I think it's also in the falafel sandwich. CABBAGE ALL THE WAY!!!
@AnastasiaB: Thanks! I was recently at Hummus Place and didn't realize they had it. I search for "sabih" on menupages and Bite came up, which made me realize that I actually have eaten their sabih...but it's on a baguette and not a pita, which is kind of different. Still delicious though, if I remember correctly.
roboppy at 3:30PM on 02/17/09
the sabich at taim is the best in the city
sacredbird at 3:34PM on 02/17/09
at falaful chula in williamsburg its under a hummus and eggplant pita with the egg as a dollar extra add on. haven't tried it.
subinai at 3:54PM on 02/17/09
Robyn, now you have me craving it, and planning a scheme to sneak out of the office and head down to Taim.
AnastasiaB at 3:55PM on 02/17/09
also the woman who works at taim slayed on FTV's chopped last week!
subinai at 3:55PM on 02/17/09
Robyn, I'm a big fan of the Sabih from Bite. Although it's usually served on a baguette, I have them place the filling in a pita. If you like it spicy, they'll add a bit of sriracha to it and it's pretty tasty. Now you've got me craving one!
delicious life at 5:21PM on 02/17/09
oh my that looks good. anybody know if you can get one of those in midtown!?!
Zach Brooks at 5:25PM on 02/17/09
Long ago and far away, when Chickpea was still Chickpea and all was well with the world, they served up a delicious version of the Sabich called the Chickplant, on their fluffy and warm, homemade pita. I realize this is no help to anybody right about now, but I loved that sandwich enough to want to try other versions.
Taim awaits. Thanks for the report.
P.
Polecat at 6:49PM on 02/17/09
@subinai: I tried Falafel Chula once but ended up with a rather messy...not so...tasty falafel..boo. May have been mostly due to the seemingly paper-thin pita, heh. But sounds like you can get a sabichy combination there. I heard about the head chef winning Chopped! Woo.
roboppy at 11:03PM on 02/17/09
They have it at Miriam in Park Slope now for brunch.
superplume at 2:55PM on 02/18/09
@roboppy Cabbage RULES.
klg19 at 3:49PM on 02/18/09
Not sure if it is a true Sabich, but this is called the Chickplant @ Chickpea and the "Health Sandwich" at Hoomoos Asli
mjr_nb at 5:05PM on 02/18/09
beautiful photograph.. looks delish
www.danielkrieger.com
Daniel Krieger Photography at 5:43PM on 02/18/09
@mjr_nb: Thanks for the info! I wouldn't have thought of calling it a "health sandwich".. ;)
@Daniel: Thanks!
roboppy at 12:03AM on 02/19/09
It's so funny - I just had my first Sabich sandwich on Monday and it bowled me over. It's served at that hole-in-the-wall place by NYU and the New School, on 12th Street just off University next door to Num Pang, the new Cambodian sandwich place. I think it's called University Pita. The Cambodian place was closed Monday and I was both hungry and pressed for time, and I asked the guy behind the counter what a sabich was. He stuffed this $4.95 sandwich with so much I couldn't come close to finishing it, and the creaminess of the egg, eggplant and hummus contrasting with the cool crunch of the cucumber salad, rounded out with hot and yogurt sauces...it was spectacular. I'll have to try these other places for comparison's sake, but what a find this sandwich is!
travels4food at 10:53AM on 03/26/09
@travels4food: Thanks for the rec!
roboppy at 2:54PM on 03/26/09
My pleasure! I just went to Taim yesterday for the first time, and I have to say, I didn't think their Sabich was as good as UP, which both amazed and disappointed me. Their pita is wonderfully fresh and fluffy, and they heated it before filling it, which I appreciated. But the eggplant was bitter and tough - not cooked long enough, I'm guessing - and the Israeli salad must have been sitting awhile, because it had no crunch, so the wonderful contrasts in mouth feel that I experienced at U.P. didn't take place here. If anyone else decides to do a little comparison research, I'd love to know what you think.
travels4food at 9:24AM on 03/31/09
@travels4food: Oh no, I'm sorry you got a not-so-good sabich! Your experience wasn't anything like mine, except for the fluffy pita. Hopefully that was a fluke.
roboppy at 10:03AM on 03/31/09
Thanks for the recommendation! I tried the Sabich this weekend and it was delicious. Absolutely no bitter or tough eggplant, it absolutely melted like butter, as you said.
My only suggestion: make sure to ask for hot sauce! Only bumps up the experience.
jbeach at 12:21PM on 05/26/09
@jbeach: I'm glad you liked it! And I agree, spiciness = EXTRA TASTIES.
roboppy at 12:23PM on 05/26/09