Joe Schnitzel

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
September 29, 2008

PITA JOE
2 W 14th St
(5th & 6th Aves)
New York, NY 10011
212-627-7877

Pita Joe has become one of my favorite quick and healthy meal choices since it opened last month off the southwest corner of 5th Avenue and 14th Street.

“Have you had your schnitzel today?” is Pita Joe’s catchy slogan, and it works. And like the slogan, the concept of healthy, organic, Middle Eastern-inspired fast food works, too. The schnitzels, falafels, homemade pitas and sauces are all flavorful, kosher treats.

While there are lots of falafel joints in the City, we rarely see them putting chicken schnitzel, an Israeli specialty, in a pita. It’s such a brilliant and scrumptious idea; I don’t know why it didn’t come to the market sooner. But it’s a good thing that Pita Joe, rather than one of those other joints, is the one making it a hit, as their food is carefully made with high-quality ingredients. For example, the schnitzel is deep-fried in a shallow layer of oil making it light and crisp rather than oily. The pitas, regular and whole wheat, are made on site to insure that they are fresh and fluffy. And the salads are all light and savory. The premises, from the prep kitchen downstairs to the counter tops upstairs, are beautifully maintained, as pristine as the food itself.

The menu is simple with key items that you can mix and match — chicken schnitzel, grilled chicken, falafel, or grilled eggplant — in a pita or a salad. I have a penchant for carbs, so I gravitate towards sandwiches. My two favorites are the Joe Schnitzel (schnitzel in a pita) and The Purple Joe (grilled eggplant nestled in a pita with a hard-boiled egg and hummus). The falafels are also light and spicy, like none I’ve tasted before. All the sandwiches come with greens, tahini and pickles.

My standard fare is now whole-wheat pita with hummus and a slice of grilled eggplant added to my Joe Schnitzel topped off with homemade tahini and hot sauce. As simple as it sounds, when the craving strikes, I can hardly wait for the staff to put the sandwich together before I snatch it and take my first bite.

Continuing with the tasty but healthy agenda, Pita Joe has “the ultimate lemonade stand,” offering raspberry, mango, mint, iced tea and a house special, which features a weekly or seasonal flavor. I’m a huge fan of the mint lemonade, as it seems to be the most natural, and the mint doesn’t overpower the lemonade but spruces it up with a little aroma.

Saving the best for last, let’s talk dessert! There are three options: date brownie, pistachio baklava bar and coconut halva cake. Just talking about them conjures oos and aahs in my head. All three squares are delectable but diverse in flavor profiles. The pistachio baklava bar is very special as shreds of baklava phyllo dough and pistachio cover a short bread-like bar. You taste the honey and spices, but its not as sweet or sinful as an actual baklava. The coconut halva cake is also delicious, soft, moist and covered in coconut shreds.

Pita Joe redefines both comfort food and fast food. Unlike most fast food restaurants that smell and feel greasy, it’s Pita Joe’s healthfulness and cleanliness that bring me back, making this addiction one I’m not ashamed of.

Also in Chicken, Greenwich Village, Israeli, Kosher, Middle Eastern, Pita