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Printed on the sign outside of its small, green-colored shopfront is L'As du Fallafel's motto: "Toujours imite jamais egale." This translates to "always imitated, never equaled" and it's a brag that's backed up by the constant queues outside the shop.
Located in the city's Jewish District, the restaurant isn't lacking in competition when it comes to Middle Eastern eateries in its direct vicinity. But none have proven to be more popular than L'As Du Fallafel (or the Falafel Ace, if you translate its name).
Over the years, it has grown to become established as the premier location for Middle Eastern food in the French capital, with its reputation only increasing thanks to celebrity co-signs.
"L’As du Fallafel, where I’ve been going for the past 30 years, serves excellent falafel sandwiches. There’s a line out the door, but it’s worth the wait," Lenny Kravitz previously told the Financial Times, having publicly shown his support for the restaurant since the 90s.
"Lenny Kravitz was the first to talk about us and, since then, many American artists have followed in his footsteps by frequenting our establishment," says Yomi Peretz, the owner of the family-run business, going on to list some of those famous names: "Pharrell Williams, Owen Wilson, Chris Hemsworth, Bob Sinclar, Jared Leto, Leonardo DiCaprio... we're honored to count such a list of renowned artists among our fans."
Despite the delights of the city's famous fine-dining establishments, celebrities make a beeline for LA's Du Fallafel's signature dish: a pitta bread filled with its famous deep-fried chickpea balls, vegetables, and heaps of sauce that will inevitably spill all over your fit.
Peretz remains tight-lipped on the secret recipe that makes the restaurant's falafels reign supreme, "L'As du Fallafel is truly a family affair, where recipes and unique know-how have been passed down to us from an early age," says the restauranteur, later putting emphasis on only using fresh ingredients regardless of whether they're more expensive.
Its recipes have been passed down from his parents, Daisy and Isaac, who opened shop in 1979 as a kosher grocery store called Rosiers Alimentation. At that time, they only had a small falafel stand with the inscription "L'As du Fallafel" on the window, but demand meant that the falafel side of the business took over.
"When my parents moved in, the Marais neighborhood was a very typical Jewish place, full of kosher butchers, restaurants, and grocery stores. A large part of the Jewish community of Paris resided there," says Peretz, going on to add: "In the 1970s, rue des Rosiers had a special atmosphere, but over time, many emblematic businesses on this street had to close their doors. Today, rue des Rosiers is world famous thanks to L'As du Fallafel."
The shop has watched on as the area around it became more exclusive, with high-end boutiques and artisan eateries moving in and much of its Jewish community moving out. It's one of the few family-owned businesses that's managed to stay standing as the neighborhood changes — a living remnant of the old days.
Its unpolished shopfront and colorful decorations make it an anomaly amongst the shiny new residents in the area, and that's very much by choice: "Entering our home, one may have the impression of being transported to a Middle Eastern souk but, in reality, everything's meticulously thought out and orchestrated," says Peretz. "Each member of our team is in their place, like in an orchestra, working harmoniously."
"We're proud to perpetuate this family heritage and to share our passion for cooking with those who pass through the doors of L'As du Fallafel."
