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Make way for Madcapra, the glossy new falafel spot taking over a corner stall inside Grand Central Market this Wednesday. Run by two New York expats, Madcapra has been one of the most anticipated coming openings for months now (even well before their pop-up at Animal on Fairfax), and soon will be debuting their own brand of suddenly-trending falafel by midweek.
Madcapra is the brainchild of Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson, who previously worked together in Brooklyn at spots like Glasserie, but have been out in L.A. since last year. They’re trying to not only put their own sleek stamp on downtown’s packed Grand Central Market, but also have plans to open a more fully-formed Middle Eastern restaurant elsewhere in the city.
And sleek it is. The white tiled open location feels a lot like Wexler’s Deli only a few feet away, complete with wraparound stools and a payment system pushed all the way out front, so people can order up and pay easily. Marble countertops and light-colored wooden stools are a nice fit for sunny L.A. — even deep inside Grand Central Market.
The official unveiling comes this Wednesday, May 6 at 11 a.m. However, as of Sunday the stall was rocking with friends and family meals. Though they weren’t serving the general public at all (a tease, considering their prominent location and open layout), plenty of folks with connections were lining up to get a bite, including other vendors at Grand Central. Might someone with a charming smile be able to sneak in before Wednesday to grab some falafel during their secret soft-opening hours? Possibly.
In the meantime, here’s the full menu for Madcapra, just to get everyone excited.
Even after it opens, Madcapra will likely still be finding its footing, adjusting hours or reworking menu items as needed. As the currently white-hot Dune in Atwater Village has shown, there’s certainly a hunger in town for great falafel, so expect Kramer and Hymanson to learn plenty from the needs of the long lines queueing up at Grand Central this week.
