Hummus is a fabulous food full of protein and happy fats – what’s not to love? But without a blender in my apartment, I have had to outsource my chickpea cravings. I’ve tried a few mediterranean food restaurants in New York City, but I had very high hopes for the Zagat rated restaurant, Hummus Place.
Photo courtesy of yelp.com
I entered the cozy looking café with a friend one early evening and we were greeted by the staff immediately – so far so good. I’d had dreams of creamy, flavorful hummus floating in my head all day. As I scanned the menu, I was happy to see a range of options including a cauliflower side dish, the staple Israeli salad and other essentials like falafel and baba ghanoush. Despite the extensive list, I opted for the classic hummus platter. I wanted a decent sample of the signature dip complete with mushroom, fava beans, Labane cheese and chickpeas as toppings.
My famished stomach was grateful for the speediness with which the meal arrived. It seemed like only 5 minutes had passed before four small dishes of hummus, each with a different topping, appeared in front of me.
Unfortunately, the rest of my dining experience was a little underwhelming. With every dip of my toasted wholewheat pita I had to surrender to the fact that the hummus dip alone was honestly rather bland. Nevertheless, the accompanying toppings certainly added some diversity to the flavor and texture of the dishes. I also enjoyed blending spicy Yemen Zhuk sauce into the chickpea mixture.
My only other grievance with the dining experience was the whopping $16 check for just pita and hummus. I guess that price tag is to be expected in the Big Apple.
Photo courtesy of honeyandricotta.blogspot.com
What I liked: The location is ideal, situated a few blocks from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The decor is welcoming, relatively spacious and filled with light. The service is fast and friendly.
What I disliked: For a restaurant that prides itself specifically on its hummus, it’s namesake dish was somewhat disappointing. Plus the cost for food hurt my soul (and wallet) just a little bit.
Would I return?: New York is a huge city with countless options for food. The ambience and the staff of Hummus Place were wonderful, and the hummus itself was enjoyable, but no, I wouldn’t go back. I’ll have to continue my search for the perfect hummus dip.