Heaven in a Pita

Yesterday, I set out to do my Passover shopping and headed straight for the Marais. While this quarter has become young, hip, and gay, it continues to be the heart of the Jewish community in Paris. It's where I found Chanukah candles (but alas no gelt) and today I scored matzo meal, concord grape wine, and a lamb shank for the seder plate. I figured that, while I was in the neighborhood, I might as well treat myself to lunch at L'As du Falafel (follow the link to read the New York Times review) on the rue de Rosiers. It's totally worth the ten minutes spent waiting in line for the biggest handful of deliciousness that 5 euros can buy. The warm pita is stuffed with layers of treats: pickled red cabbage, salted cucumber, glistening sauteed eggplant, crunchy fried chickpea patties, some oozing hummus, and dusting of harissa. I hear there is a place to eat inside but this is definitely street food. Since Jewish law is ambivalent on whether or not there is a heaven, all I can say is "yum."