Everyone loves the taste of authentic falafel - but where does this delicious dish come from exactly? That sweet popping sound of boiling oil just before a falafel pops out: balls of bean goodness that have an international following. Once the fried fritters, made of chickpeas or broad beans come out, they're thrown into fresh pitta bread and dressed with vegetables, and tahina…crushed sesame seed sauce. Easy to eat, cheap to buy and everyone agrees they are the typical street food of the Middle East. But ask about the origins and a conflict may as well break out. “Well, falafel … there’s a little fight over that. There are those who will say it’s Egyptian, others will say its Lebanese and others will say it is Israeli. Whatever it’s from the Middle East,” says Yumi, the manager of a popular falafel stand in Paris. Perhaps that’s the safest answer. But with Paris having an ample Middle Eastern population, I decided the best way to answer this question was to eat my way through the different falafel stands in the city. It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it. For simplicity's sake, I've narrowed it down to Israeli, Lebanese and Egyptian falafel. Before properly answering the question, one has to know that falafel is either chickpea or broad-bean based. Sometimes the two are combined. Regardless of the preparation, the falafel itself is almost always eaten in a sandwich, generally in a flat type of bread. Israeli-style in the Marais In search of the origins of our favourite fritter, I began in one of Paris’s tourist attractions, the Marais neighbourhood. What used to be a thriving Jewish neighbourhood before World War II, is now a rather gentrified and artsy part of town, complete with small museums and art galleries. But the rue des Rosiers still upholds the Jewish past of the neighbourhood, with its bakeries, restaurants and falafel stands of the Israeli variety. As the tourists flock to Paris during the summer months, the pedestrian street is packed with people waiting in line to grab a falafel sandwich from one of the four main restaurants. I found a few people devouring their falafel and asked them why they came to rue des Rosiers: Julie, from Paris “For me, it’s the best place for falafel.” Zanthy, an Australian tourist: “I have had falafels all over the place; this is definitely on the higher scale of falafels.” Everyone knows how to eat a falafel, but does anyone here know its origins? Georgia, from the UK admits “I don’t know exactly, you find it in a few different cuisines from different countries.” One American tourist gives a safe answer stating “It’s Israeli and Arabic; a mix between the two.” So no one really knows. But then, while scarfing down a falafel, that’s likely the farthest thing from your mind. Despite the lunchtime rush, the managers from two popular stands find time to discuss the origin of the fritters. “I’d say it’s Israeli, but maybe Lebanese. Let’s just say Israeli-Lebanese,” says Elon, the manager of King Falafel. When asked about the different preparations: “I don’t know another type. Falafel with beans? I didn’t know. See, now you’ve told me that so I’ve learned something!” he exclaims. “I know Egyptians mix it with beans. It’s called ful mudammas, but Israelis do it with 100 percent chickpeas” explains Yumi, the manager of L’As du Falafel. Lebanese-style in Bastille Over in the Bastille area, far from the tourist crowds of the Marais, the streets are lined with French bistros and pockets of Lebanese restaurants. One in particular serves only falafel. The modern interior of Bar Falafel Bro doesn’t reveal its Lebanese origin. David, originally from Beirut, is one of the owners of the place. When I put the question to him, he smiles and explains diplomatically “Well, if you put the question to a Lebanese, he will sa