Hip-Pea not Hippy - Falafel Fight Friday
Welcome to Triple F and triple digits - One Zero Zero. You clicked on my favorite Friday of the week and my 100th post at the same time. Yup - You’re two-timing me right now! I’m expecting @steemitboard to stop by but they shouldn’t be here until after I tell you about this falafel joint.
My wife and I are amateur falafel connoisseurs. (AFC) We’ve made it a point to try out a new spot whenever we’re in a new city. But it doesn’t matter where we go; there’s a spot 20 minutes away from us
in Long Beach, California, called The Hip-Pea and they have the best falafel around. It’s not just the best around, I take that back, it’s substantially better compared to anywhere else:
iPhone 8+ plus Photoshop
If you’re in Los Angeles, California, cruise south along the coast for about a half hour and you’ll run into Long Beach. If you just flew into LAX, hop in a cab and go east on US Highway 105, follow the road signs that say Queen Mary and you’ll run into US Highway 710. Stay in the right lane and take the south off ramp, you’re only a few exits away from Broadway now. Exit Broadway and cruise through down town Long Beach for about a mile. You can take your foot off the gas pedal now - Enjoy yourself! It’s probably not a bad idea to find a place to put the car in park and hop on a bike. Look around, you’re in LA County, take a look at all of the street art you’re surrounded by and what was that? What did you say? Oh, the aroma? Welcome to California! Make a left on Cherry, a quick right on 4th Street and The Hip-Pea is on your immediate left but if I don’t show you their store front, you’ll blow right passed it:
“Umm... excuse me, I was just going to snap a picture of The Hip-Pea for this Steemit.com article I’m working on, would you mind pulling your van forward real quick?” Without any hesitation “For Steemit?! Of course!” He moved his van and tada!! “Thanks van driver:”
That’s it! Just a couple of green umbrellas and some chairs. No neon, no lights, no booth seating and there’s no seating inside the joint at all. There won’t be anyone coming by your table while you’re eating asking you if you need anything either, you’re on your own. There’s just enough room inside for a micro refrigerator full of cold water, some caramel color products and a tiny shelf with all of the sauces and napkins you’ll need. Just take them outside. There’s just enough room in there for two people to stand in one place and make an order, it’s perfect. This is the only sign they have - A dry erase board that stands outside the door on the sidewalk daily:
Front
Back
As far as the menu goes - Two things: falafel pita’s (not PITA, as in, Pain In The you know where) or falafel in a box with fries and hummus. Decisions... Decisions. The last couple of times we were here, we had them pack a couple of pitas, heavy on everything:
Not this time. We ordered falafel in a box with hummus and French fries, two waters and took some sauces outside. The tahini one with a touch of sriracha is how I roll, @puravidaville likes sriracha by itself:
Falafel, French fries, hummus and pita bread
Ketchup, tahini, sriracha
Falafel
I don’t know exactly what’s inside those little bite-size, deep fried, hand-rolled, perfectly crusted, green balls of deliciousness (she won’t tell us!) but it’s the best falafel I’ve had.
:No purchase necessary: There’s a little logitech speaker by the door that echoes 70’s and 80’s music off the sidewalk as you’re eating or just in the area. I’ve never heard a bad song played on that thing:
I wrote down the playlist we had the pleasure of enjoying during our lunch date. Click on any one of the following tracks for an instant feeling of food fight goodness. Happy Friday ya’all!
Burning Down The House - Talking Heads.
Whip It - Divo.
Blister In The Sun - Violent Femmes.
Money For Nothing - Dire Straits.
Same place next week, deal? You do eat, right? You do post blogs here at Steemit, right? Perfect! So do I - Follow @foodfightfriday and get down with the throw down.
Click Here if you missed @sivehead this week when he put the UP in Europe and one-UPped all of us by loading UP all four #fff winners with a share of #steembasicincome. Smooth moves sive.. or head.. or whatever the heck your mankini wearin, wanna-be comedian, blind as bat name is:
Click Here if we missed each other this week:
I love that you added the songs! Great #foodfightfriday tunes if I do say so myself.
Was it you that was telling me, or maybe it was @jlsplatts about someone rearranging their gym schedule to accommodate #fff?
Thanks for all the hearting @puravidaville.
Haha… triple f is serious business these days. Making $60 dollar breads… shooooooootttt. There’s no time for the gym on #foodfightfriday chow mein!
Every morning I start my day by having a falafel sandwich, they’re pretty cheap, like 30 cents. Try it with BBQ sauce. There’s also the “oh you’re gonna fart tonight” mix which is falafel, fried eggplant and Cauliflower, nuclear.
Really?! Cuz it just so happens I’m an avid participant in fart games. Add the fact I love egg plant and cauliflower, all I need now is to know is we just mash em all up in a food processor with chickpeas or...?
Thanks a lot for stopping by @amirtheawesome1. Hey and while you’re here, I really like the way you put your message together this morning with your COM post. Mighty clever of you!
I LOVE those four songs!!! I know this is about food, but man, those 4
are on my 'favorites' playlist .... such cooool tunes!
Love all that food too ... and so cute, the little hummus nest with chick peas in it :)
I just took a break from unpacking and ate some lunch while reading your post. The stars aligned here I'd say :)
Eye to eye, mono e mono, I’m smellin what you’re steppin in and picking up what you’re putting down, Ka’pow! Happy Friday.
Can you tell I love those 4 songs? I couldn’t just tell you the title, I felt obligated to give you an easy way to listen. I had a feeling it wasn’t just me.
I read all about you and your move, you’re unpacking so progress is doing it’s thing, excellent!
Am I still typing? Hey. Where’d everyone go?
Thanks for stopping by @lynncoyle1!
hahaha I've missed so many comments over the last week, and have skimmed most of them, but not this bad boy! Thanks for the smile :)
Disclaimer : "bad boy" refers to your comment and not you. Although maybe you. Depends I guess on who's asking, and who's telling.
Ditto :)
Ok then I won’t admit I had a Gloria Estefan flashback.
“Bad bad bad bad boys.. you make me feel so gooooooood. I knew you would.”
(You guys apartment is frikkin awesome!)
LOL Gloria Eststefan!! Sultry eyes, pouty lips, we bit of cleavage, and helmet-hairsprayed up-do :) Nice!
Thanks re: our apartment! Did I mention there's a studio on the main floor to rent for vacationers?? :)
You just did!!
woot woot!! Drinks around the pool!
What a Great Freaking Concept! Entertaining as all Heck!
PS- NY lol
Awesome! I’m glad you caught the concept, I was trying to paint a picture of a nice, sunny drive along the pacific coast.
Thanks a lot for stopping by @weirdheadaches, it’s always a pleasure hearing from you!
Eh side note, dude I haven’t heard that Ja Roule track in a long time.. such a jam! I remember when that track came out and pushing play just now was like.. “oh yes!”
Eh that being said...
This is what it looks like when a dude in LA uses an East coast dude against an east coast dude - Happy Friday!
Just so ya know, i listened to the whole thing, LOUDLY, on my bluetooth Speakers.
Nice Bruv...
Yes! Eh, my wife knows all the words to that track better than anyone I know... and she’ll bust it out at karaoke anywhere.
I’m not making this up. I said “eh weirdheadches came at me with some Tupac” and she started rappin THAT song!
Cool peeps
That analog sound at the beginning of that Ja Roule track is still stuck in my head. That’s such a dope sound. “I got a hundred guns a hundred clips.”
Lol ikr! Randomly i time travel and old songs visit :)
My favorite Tupac track.…
Delicious! I'll have to check it out sometime.... although LA has some places I can hardly skip, like Coco Ichiban and Osteria Mozza.
You’ll love it. When you get the opportunity, give it a shot and let me know if it’s just me. I’ve heard of Coco Ichiban, there’s so many good places in LA, you’re right. Have you ever been to Wood Spoon?
Thanks a lot for stopping by @protegeaa!