
Falafel Sababa: Casual Middle Eastern Cuisine in Shinsaibashi
Middle Eastern: Often a Vegan-friendly Option
“I got switched on to vegan philosophy around five years ago,” says Kotoe, the lone Japanese staff member at Falafel Sababa. “But I struggled at first. When eating out, I wasn’t sure what I could and couldn’t eat. That’s when I discovered this place.”
The other two staff – Paul from the USA and Said from Morocco – are vegetarian and originally frequented Falafel Sababa as customers for the same reasons as Kotoe.
Surprisingly, the owner is neither vegan nor vegetarian. “I eat meat, too!” says Moshe Alon, an Israeli.
Aaron opened Falafel Sababa in January 2019 to share Middle Eastern cuisine with the Japanese public. This is not a strictly vegan restaurant; more an authentic Middle Eastern place serving something for everyone – vegans included. Much of that region’s cuisine is vegetable-based to begin with, and of course hummus and falafel, which are made with chickpeas, are popular with vegans. In addition to these, Falafel Sababa offers things like chicken kebabs and sabih egg and fried eggplant sandwiches.
The vegan-friendly, gluten-free Falafel Plate is an extravaganza of colorful vegetables, creamy hummus, and fluffy falafel on a single platter. The accompanying pita is so big that the half-pita option is filling enough for most people!
According to Aaron, there is no one “correct” way to eat it: some use knives and forks, others use chopsticks; some use the pita to scoop the hummus; others combine ingredients on pita chunks to construct their own sandwich – it’s up to you!
The most popular item is the vegan kebab made with soy meat instead of chicken. It’s a quick, convenient way to get your fix of healthy vegetables – no wonder it’s popular even among those who aren’t vegan or vegetarian.
“Sababa” is Hebrew for “great” or “cool.” It’s a fitting name for a restaurant whose doors are open to all in America Mura, where people of all nationalities – vegans and non-vegans alike – mingle.
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Name: Falafel Sababa
Address: 2-17-13 Nishi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City
Phone: 090-5971-4958
Hours: 11:30-22:30
Closed: One temporary closure month
Getting there: 5 min. walk from Namba Stn. on the Osaka Metro
Seating: 6 counter seats
Menu: Kebab Plate ¥1,380; shakshouka (with half pita) ¥850; sabih (with half pita) ¥850; French fries ¥500; pistachio baklava ¥300; “draft” beer ¥500; pineapple juice ¥400
English-language menus available
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/falafelsababaosaka
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