Crisp on Wheels Truck

I’m fairly certain Crisp on Wheels is now Pocketful, which is not nearly as delicious as the product from the same truck by the previous name. Disappointing.
However, I don’t think I have ever met a falafel sandwich I didn’t like. Crisp was no exception. I always get the same thing, the Africa Crisp. I love the warm and doughy pita wrapped around falafel, tomatoes, lettuce, sweet potatoes and corn, all drizzled with a spicy peanut sauce. Their falafel is good too, nice and crispy on the outside, warm on the inside. Not to mention, there’s a hearty portion of falafel in there.
There’s nothing I hate more than a sandwich that is not full of what’s advertised. So this is pretty full. It should be said that it’s one of the only «healthy» options from street carts in midtown, which makes for a long line if you go anytime after 12PM.
I want to warn you that the Africa is pretty spicy. I don’t know if it’s the peanut sauce or if there is something else in there, but it’s really, really spicy. Sometimes too spicy. If you like spicy food, then it’s probably a good solid choice for you. I just don’t adore the varying degrees of spice depending on the day. The inconsistency scares me a little, as someone who doesn’t like to breathe fire.
But that’s just me, ya know?
You can also get your sandwich as a salad bowl, with the sauce on the side, which isn’t a bad option, although I almost never remember to ask for it on the side, so that’s a bummer, and my own fault.
Well.
Nobody’s perfect and I do keep going back, so they are doing something right. The newer name «Pocketful» is not as fun as the old one, and doesn’t taste as good, but it will do.
Worth noting: If you get their sandwich, it comes in this cool box that is perforated halfway down, so you can stand your sandwich up on you desk at work and it doesn’t fall apart and isn’t quiet as messy as other falafel endeavors.
Try it out, get the sauce on the side… if you can remember.

Umm… yes please! Oh my goodness! I had this yesterday and it was BOMB!!! For realsies!!! I had the Africa Crisp on referral from a pregnant lady (with great taste, might I add) who happened to be right in front of my friends and I when in line. Oh my! The peanut sauce. The yams. The cherry tomatoes! Yum Yum Yum! So damn good! It was the truck with the longest line and so of course, I had to see what all the hub-​ub was about. And the hub-​ub lived up to the hype, my friend. The sauce they give you on the side, is less than appetizing in my opinion but since that was optional and not on my sandwich, I wouldn’t dare count it against them. Also, the container, comes with directions as to the best method to eat your falafel AND it’s biodegradable and compostable. Gotta love that sh**! I know I did! I will go again. I will damm it!
Also, it is on the corner of 6^th and 50^th every Thursday… I think until 3pm (or somewheres around there) ENJOY!!!

I’ll sometimes hit up this falafel truck when it’s on 50^th/​6^th when the line isn’t too long. The line is usually HUGE, especially in warm weather. While it probably doesn’t deserve the 50 people waiting on line at any given time, Crisp is one of the few decent healthy options in the area and is a nice way to break up the routine of paying $ 10 for a salad (by paying $ 9 for falafel).
The best options are the African or the Parisian sandwiches, which come in very attractive cardboard boxes that make it impossible to eat without getting cherry tomatoes all over your desk and/​or pants.

They had me at ‘free sample’ as I walked out of the office building. I hardly ever try anything that’s being handed out but on this day I was feeling brave. Anyway, after sampling I decided I wanted to get one of their pita sandwiches, mainly because the guy was so darned nice which felt weird since I was in NYC.
I got the signature ‘Crisp’ and I was very happy with my purchase and while the price was a little on the expensive side for a sandwich, it is NY so everything is a little pricey anyway. I don’t think the price is too much for the amount of food you get. I could have seriously made my lunch into 2 meals.

I am seriously obsessed with the Mexican salad bowl. I’ve never really liked falafel (it’s hard to get right), and I’m rarely willing to pay the premium for salad (I get hungry two hours later), but I have been fantasizing about this salad bowl since I had it about a week ago. There is something about the flavor combination that just works. Plus, the falafel is excellent. It’s crisp on the outside, tender on the inside and not greasy at all. I’m not an expert on falafel, but this is the only falafel I’ve ever craved.
To give background, I have had the Greek sandwich and Mexican sandwich previously — not really mind-​blowing.

I had the Mexican Crisp sandwich. The salad was fresh, falafel was decent, the wait time was minimal I got my order within a minute, literally. The packaging was original compared to other food trucks, everything had the logo of the truck and contact info. It all sounds good of course but this is when it gets downhill — the food was just plain, absolutely nothing special really.
My biggest problem with this truck is how much they charge. My sandwich set me back $ 8.50, totally not worth the price. There are much cheaper and equal alternatives all over the city. Also I’m yet to see a single food truck that surcharges taxes. My sandwich in the menu was listed as $ 7.75, ok I thought, but then they added tax and my bill is $ 8.50. I know it’s not double the price but why don’t they just add taxes in the menu just like the rest of food trucks? Seems like a bait-​and-​switch tactic, totally not cool.
I mean guys unless you have Jean George cruising with you then it would explain the higher cost but nearly $ 10 for two falafels sprinkled with salad in a cold pita — definitely not.

I’m a little obsessed with this truck. I’ve only had the Crisp Africa. The peanut sauce is a touch spicy and def. not as «peanuty» as I was afraid it would be. A good compliment. The falafel is lightly fried and crisp — great. I would suggest if you want to get this for lunch, order online. Print out your receipt and you basically skip up to the que and give them the receipt and bam you got your order!
I also thought I would get more Salad vs. Sandwich. NOT! They charge pretty much almost $ 2 more, for the same exact amount you would get if they put it inside the pita. You are basically being charged $ 2 for the plastic bowl.
Don’t do it, save your $, get it in the sandwich style.

1^st stop on the Mid-​Town Food Cart Tour, by Sidewalks of NY. We got to taste a Veggie Falafel, which was absoulute delicious. If this is what you call healthy eating, then I am a fan

I have been meaning to go to the Crisp on Wheels truck for a while now. On Tuesday, I saw they had tweeted they were going to be on 49^th street, near my job, so I jumped on the chance to try their falafels.
When I first arrived where the truck was located there was a group of about 40 people gathered around. There were two distinct lines, one for orders and another for pick up, when I first arrived.
Since it was my first time I wanted to try out their classic take on a falafel, The Crisp. It’s basically a regular falafel with hummus and salad. I ordered mine on a whole wheat pita & added some fries for just a $ 1 extra.
The wait was actually not that bad as I thought it would be. Everything is extremely organized due to the fact that your receipt has your pick up # and their is a ticket counter right next to the pick up section.
It was literally one of the BEST falafels I have ever had… and I’ve had a couple of falafels in my lifetime. The salad was fresh and crisp (just saying) and the falafel balls were delicious. It is tricky to try to eat the whole thing without making a mess so I wouldn’t recommend you eating this on a lunch date. The fries weren’t actually fries, but more like small slices of sort of a baked potato with a crispy outside and soft inside.
I loved everything from the service, the packaging, & especially the food. If you want to try them out go to their website & you can see where they’re currently located or even order online. I will be getting another falafel from them in the near future.

Can’t say I’ve ever been to Crisp’s brick and mortar location, but they do have a solid food truck drivin’ around. I love how they’re currently in my area of midtown twice a week!
I like Crisp because their falafels are… Well, crisp. Never over done, always perfect. They have a lot of intriguing twists on the basic falafel, like the Mexican and the African. However, I’m forever a fan of the original.
Their packaging is pretty neat. The falafel is stuffed to the brim, so the packaging is designed to help you hold and navigate through the yumminess of it all. Prices are standard for NYC food truck fare.
The line can be a bit ridiculous at times. But they do accept credit cards and they have a nifty digital counter thingamabob. Hooray for being a truck of the future!

The falafel is just as good as ordering from one of their shops.
It’s a nice summer lunch, with crisp vegetables and a fluffy whole wheat pita. The service is pretty quick, and the guys on the truck are friendly. Overall, a nice transition from the store to the truck. It works.

I stalked the Crisp on Wheels truck on Twitter the other week and saw that they were by my office and, naturally, sprinted over there (well, I didn’t actually sprint, but I walked quickly).
I went with the full intention of trying a new flavor other than the Mexican… but I just couldn’t do it. The corn, salsa and the perfectly ripe avocado were too hard to resist. So I didn’t. And I didn’t regret it. The crisp-​on-​the-​outside, warm-​soft-​light-​on-​the-​inside falafel were damned near perfect.
I might try another flavor at some point. But I might not.

I didn’t think anyone could beat Taim’s mobile truck for a good falafel sandwich, but Crisp on Wheels is pretty damn dope! On Mondays, they’re outside 375 Hudson in the West Village — right in front of the office. They offer really inventive spins on a basic falafel in a pita. They mix it up with varieties like the Mediterranean, Parisian, and Mexican with ingredients like feta cheese, eggplant flakes, salsa, parm cheese! Who knew you could pair these things with falafel?!? And the falafel itself, wow! So delicious and super crispy for that perfect bite. While they’re about $ 3 more than Taim, it’s still lunch in NYC for under $ 10; plus, they take credit cards (a guy is outside the truck taking orders and swiping cards yo!) and give you fries or a drink for only a buck more.

Crisp on Wheels? What about You-​Ruined-​My-​Day on Wheels?
Craving some falafel, I ignored all the ethnic falafels on the menu (mexican, african, mediterranean, parisian, and athenian) and ordered the crisp, which is falafel with salad and hummus. Instead, I got 3 balls of falafel buried in an overflowing salad sea… and no hummus, except for a tablespoon of hummus at the very bottom. For a second, I thought they’d forgotten the falafel altogether! I checked the date… nope, not April 1^st.
Honestly, is THAT a falafel sandwich? Wait a minute, maybe I visited the wrong truck, isn’t this supposed to be the famed Crisp food truck… did I accidentally stumble upon Saladwich on Wheels?
Nope.
In that case… what a huge letdown! A pricey letdown compared to other places, such as Mamouns and Taim, that sell tasty yet simple falafel sandwiches that weren’t all jazzed up in spices and flavors… because the star of the show should be falafel, not the veggies or spread or whatever else that’s slapped together and passed off as a falafel lover’s dream!
Based on all the 5 and 4 star reviews for Crisp on Wheels, I had only one question to ask myself: Did I temporarily step into a parallel universe where everything’s the opposite of what it’s supposed to be in this universe???

Crisp has been parking near my office for a few weeks now and I finally got to try it.
We arrived right around noon and there was not a long line, which was a nice surprise. By the time we finished ordering, the line was 10 – 15 people deep… so my advice is to get there early!
My friend and I both order the Crisp Sandwich. I got a passion fruit iced tea (for just $ 1 more) and my friend got the mint iced tea.
My sandwich was awesome! The ingredients were really fresh and crisp, and the sandwich itself was very filling. My drink was just a standard iced tea, not very passiony… but my friend said her iced tea was really minty and delicious.
I’ll definitely be back and would like to make a stop at the actual store sometime soon!

This was a neat little food stand. It was the first I tried in NY. I’m a big fan of packaging so I liked the way my food was served to me. I ordered the Crisp Africa which had chipotle peppers on it.
I liked the texture of my meal, and the level of spiciness was GREAT. I looooooove spicy food. I feel like this would be cooler if they didn’t serve it with fries though. Maybe homemade chips? Are fries Mediterranean? I’m sure chips aren’t. It’s not that important.

When my office moved, my co-​workers and I had a mission to find new food in the area. So we’ve found this truck 2 blocks from us. The line was always long, but manageable. There were a few times that the truck ran out of food at 1:45PM, which is a total bummer because all the ladies and I love this truck.
My favorite is their Mexican falafel. The ingredients are very fresh and the falafel are very good because they are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The cilantro sauce just makes everything so much better. I also like their meal deal, where you add $ 1 you can get a drink or fries when you buy a falafel sandwich. Although, it can get quite messy eating one of these things, but it is so worth having a falafel ball roll off my slacks right before a big meeting haha. I also love their design and concept of their falafel containers — so simple, yet so useful. Plus, they are the only truck I know of that accepts credit cards!

I’ve only been here once, but I’m coming back. I had the plain falafel sandwich – nothing fancy, no weird sauces, just falafel, salad, hoomoos, tahina. It was one of the better falafel sandwiches I’ve had.
The only thing I *hate* is the packaging. The sandwich comes in this fancy paper «handbag» that I can only describe as wasteful. How many resources go into making this thing? Paper, power, ink – all so that I can throw it out a minute after I get it?
** UPDATE ** I went back. The sandwich was just as good, the 2^nd time around. This may become a ritual.

The food trucks are evolving!
Seriously, the outside of my office has been like a trailer park of food trucks lately, and none of them can compete with the sophistication of Crisp on Wheels. And no, I didn’t think I could use both the words «trailer park» and «sophistication» together in a sentence either. But I digress — here is what sets this truck apart from the rest:
— Accepts credit cards!
This shouldn’t be that big of a deal, yet it is. Especially considering you can now swipe plastic through an iPhone accessory, it’s amazing to me how this is not as much a priority with other trucks. And this is coming from a cash guy.
— Separate windows for order and pick-​up!
Again, a no-​brainer. This isn’t France — we can form two lines. We do it reluctantly at the DMV when we aren’t being rewarded with delicious falafel at the end. Moving on…
— Nifty packaging!
If you go with one of the Signature Falafel Sandwiches, they place it in this cardboard Handbag of theirs (aka a box). There is a perforated strip across the center so that, when ripped, your pita neatly waits. It also serves as a holder between bites so that the contents of your sandwich don’t spill all over the place. Yes, this is some lazy-​ass American shit. Yes, this is why the terrorists hate us. Yes, I was a little embarrassed carrying something that was given the name Handbag. I got over it.
— Employee outside of the truck!
To answer your first question — no, they do not have robot legs. They are people just like us! And this dude, who is part-​carhop, part-​salesman, is there to inform patrons on line about their menu and make recommendations to the indecisive and overwhelmed. I was already eyeing the Crisp Africa Falafel Sandwich (North African peanut sauce, sweet potatoes, corn salad, cherry tomatoes, green onions, habanero harissa sauce, on a white or whole wheat pita), so when I heard him suggest it to a customer ahead of me, I was set.
Listen, falafel isn’t always my first choice out there in the food world. I’m typically afraid of it tasting like cardboard. But I’m lazy and this was right outside my office. Doesn’t take a genius to figure this one out.
However, the only cardboard taste you’d get from the Crisp on Wheels Truck is if you took a crunch outta that Handbag. These falafel balls are soft, airy almost, and down-​right delicious drenched in that peanut sauce. Some of the other components complimented the falafel better than the rest, most notably the corn salad and green onions. I had high hopes for the sweet potatoes, but what I received was just some skin folded over and tucked against one side of the pita — still delicious, but also a little strange. I could’ve done without the cherry tomatoes, and we could’ve kicked it up a notch in the habanero harissa department — although it was probably being overtaken by the peanut sauce. Either way, I won’t hold this against them — I’m clearly reaching here. Overall, the Crisp Africa is an above-​average falafel sandwich — and not just for a truck, but for just about anywhere.

O. M. G. The Crisp on Wheels Truck (@CrisponWheels on Twitter) happened to be parked by my office today, and I’m glad it was!
First — the owner (the man I assume is the owner) is SUPER nice. He got off the truck, and handed out falafel samples to the wanderers on 6^th avenue. And holy falafel ball — they are AMAZING. Seriously the lightest, and fluffiest falafel I have ever had. I’m a HUGE fan of Maoz, but these… ARE BETTER.
I had a tough time deciding which pita I was going to get, but ultimately went with the Mexican, since I am hard pressed to turn up corn and cilantro. The pita is huge, and filled to the brim with goodies. It takes awhile to get down to the actual falafel, but its worth the wait. And if you have never had anything from Crisp, their packaging is AMAZING. It’s seriously the best thing that has happened to me today. (Go there, experience it, trust.)
The best part of the Crisp truck is that they’re working on getting a credit card system! No more running to the ATM to get cash for a truck before it leaves! (Just me? Ok fine.)
So happy this truck was on my block today… I hope it returns to Chelsea more often!