BEST SUPERMARKET HUMMUS 2020 - HOLY HUMMUS!

There's a new king in supermarket Hummus in the US and it's... ( Drum roll) ... Holy Hummus.

WOWA WEEWA it is good. 

I bought it randomly in the supermarket in LA, one day when they ran out of the other bigger brands I tend to buy.

There's nothing very special or inviting in their packaging.  It looks like all the other generic supermarket Hummus brands -but wait till you taste it...

AAAAMAZING!

They have 4 flavors: Homestyle Hummus with olive oil, Jersualem with Tehina , Nazareth and Classic.

They're all really good. 

The best in my opinion is their Homestyle Hummus which has lots of chickpeas and feels coarse and fresh like restaurant hummus in the middle east.

Their second best in my opinion is Jerusalem Hummus which is much creamier and also excellent.

Their last 2 flavors are Nazarath and Classic. Two flavors that are still really good and no one will ever complain about - well no one except those that already tasted their Homestyle Hummus.

 The main difference between the four Hummus isn't that much the taste but rather  the texture.  While the Homestyle seems to be the coarsest, the Nazareth somewhat coarse and the Classic the creamiest.

For those who love creamy rather than coarse - you will find everything you are looking for in the Classic.

TASTE:

The hardest thing in making supermarket hummus is figuring out how to ensure it doesn't have that "plastic" aftertaste of preservatives and other ingredients which make it feel somewhat generic.

Some of the Hummus companies place a lot of garlic or garlic flavoring that hides the fake aftertaste, 

while others simply place more focus on texture than on taste.

To get additional flavors that taste a bit different and don't have the same aftertaste and garliccy flavor - some larger supermarket chains have started experimenting in recent years in distributing creamed veggies made from other ingredients not chickpeas yet still call it Hummus - even thought hummus based on my understanding has to be made from chickpeas.

It's like calling a butter made from Cauliflower - PEANUT BUTTER - knowing people prefer butter made from peanuts over butter made from Cauliflower.

Maybe Cauliflower cream is interesting - but peanut butter should be made from peanuts or it's false advertising.

Hummus is made from Hummus - i.e. chickpeas in Arabic and Hebrew. 

Because of Covid 19 - a lot of restaurants have closed and many people prefer buying supermarket hummus that feels safer and has less potential for Covid 19.

That's why it's super important to choose the right one.

It seems that Holy Hummus is still a small label and isn't available in many supermarkets and even in the ones it is available it tends to run out very quick as it's possible the word on the street has already spread about the uniqueness of this tasty hummus.

I purchased this hummus first time at the Israeli supermarket - Samy Makolet on Fairfax blvd in Los Angeles, CA . Sammy Makolet is one of the most famous specializing Israeli supermarkets and I understood it's also sold in the other famous Israeli supermarkets in LA.

Samy Makolet also tend to run out of it quite fast and I had to follow up to figure out when they get more supply to purchase more of it. 

From the Holy Hummus website it seems it's a NY based company so they might already be available to purchase all over the nation or at least in large cities from LA to NY.

Because of Covid 19 - I couldn't do blind tests with friends - but I did recommend they all purchase it and let me know their thoughts and they did - and they were all blown away by the taste that is quite unique for a supermarket hummus.

Bottom line - I hope with Covid 19 and the fact many people aren't shopping in smaller supermarkets only buying from large retailers like Costco, Amazon, Whole Food, Krogers etc ... that people will still discover this new company that is still mostly sold in smaller supermarkets and is mostly sold out.

Unlike the large Hummus brands - that tend to occupy the majority of the Hummus Fridge even in smaller specialized markets - this Hummus tends to hide in the corner.

If not for Covid and shortage of supplies - I probably would've never discovered this brand myself and stuck to the large brands I know.

I also hope this brand slowly make their way into the larger retail chains - cause their taste - is ready for the mainstream spotlight .

But as they make it to the larger retailers - I hope they will not compromise their unique and unbelievable flavor that tastes as good as many restaurants and will help educate Americans to the real taste of Middle Eastern Hummus.

Their website:

http://www.holyhummus.com/

Enjoy...

BEST HUMMUS IN LOS ANGELES 2020 - DR. SANDWICH

DR. SANDWICH has been recognized by a lot of middle Easterners as having the best Hummus in LA and in Beverly Hills ( They have two restaurants).  It also has unbelievable Pita bread - that tastes fresh and is very different than any other Pita's one purchases anywhere in LA. Unlike the American Pitas that are bought in Supermarkets and in many Middle Eastern Restaurants that are very thin and usually somewhat hard - Dr. Sandwich's pitas are thick, fluffy and are so fresh - they feel like they just came out of an oven.

Their Falafel is also great with a perfect taste and texture and so are other dishes they serve.

There's always a large line of people waiting to purchase their hummus - as there are a lot of middle easterners and middle eastern food lovers and the secret has been shared by all of them about this restaurant.

Now with Covid 19, there's a lot of people picking up  and rightfully so.

SO why the - BUT...

The but - is because it is relatively expensive to eat Hummus at this restaurant and they do small things that truly ruin the experience.

1. The most annoying thing is that a Hummus plate costs $10 - and it comes with a relatively small amount of hummus on the plate and only ONE!!! PITA bread.

Who ever finished a whole hummus plate with only one Pita bread? 

Most people eat 2-3 pitas with their plate - which hikes the price of a hummus plate to about $12 as they charge extra for each pita.

They will give you pickles if you ask - but those too come in a very small plastic dish. The dish is about the size of small dishes inwhich people get ketchup in other places.

Middle easterners love pickles with their Hummus - and most places are very generous about the pickles and throw also olives and other pickles vegetables to show their generosity.

Dr. Sandwich gives you pickles only if you ask - and also - in a very small portion and will fill it up if you ask.

If you want a small salad or pickled white cabbage dish which a lot of people love to eat with their Hummus that will cost you extra. Relatively a lot more extra. 

Some restaurants give these two for free if they charge an expensive price for their hummus - and other restaurants give an option to order small side dishes of these two as sides.

But this restaurant doesn't do that and forces you if you want these a salad and pickled veggies that aren't pickles- to buy them as full side dishes.

I get it - that this restaurant is in Beverly Hills - and everything is more expensive also for them - when they need to maintain it in a 90212 area code.

But usually in Beverly Hills - if you want to justify high prices - one has to look the part - and this restaurant looks far from a high end place.

The restaurants decor is very basic. It doesn't have the feel of a high end restaurant. To me it felt like a pedestrian fast food diner inside a gas station in Israel - who's main clientelle is truckers stopping for a fast food meal on their way from Beer Sheva to Tel Aviv.

BOTTOM LINE:

I loved their Hummus - and I do hope this place will survive and continue thriving.

Seeing so many middle eastern restaurants come and go in LA - I know how hard it is to keep a restaurant alive in a city where people love change and aren't loyal to even wonderful restaurants.

Because of their great hummus - they have huge lines snaking around the place - but unless they figure out their pricing scheme - and what they offer for their expensive prices - they might find themselves fighting for clients in the future and once some people will be tired of paying so much for so little food and without getting the full Middle Eastern experience - with several Pitas and a plate full of Pickles - they might one day discover that customers are leaving and never coming back.

I truly hope the owners of this wonderful Hummus restaurant realize they have the momentum right now and do the needed changes in their menu and servings to ensure their customers will realize it's not just wonderful Hummus but also a great deal that is worth coming back to again and again.

Only time will Tell - if Dr. Sandwich becomes the HUMMUS CLASSIC in LA - like PINK's is to HOT DOGS - or if it will be a fad - and a wonderful memory of a wonderful restaurant that vanished over time - like DOUGH BOYS was on THIRD STREET.

Regardless of what happens to this place in the future - I do hope everyone tastes their hummus - so that they will be able to say - LA had amazing hummus that could compete with any middle eastern restaurant in the middle east! 

THE DISTASTEFUL FIRST ISRAELI HUMMUS FESTIVAL OF BEVERLY HILLS

This blog tries to stay out of Middle Eastern Politics and focus on Hummus - but sadly -  sometimes an event occurs that forces even neutral bloggers to express their opinions about events.

The Israeli consulate of Beverly Hills, the Bait Israeli and the IAC ( Israeli American community) just launched their first Israeli Hummus festival in Beverly Hills.

The event will take place outside Beverly Hills city hall - which makes it even more symbolic.

The ad for this event states:

 " Join the IAC, Bait Israeli, and the Israeli Consulate for the the First Annual Hummus Festival! The Festival will feature a smorgasbord of hummus from various vendors, fresh pita, a Judiaca booth, activities for the children and live music in both Hebrew and English! Come early to get your hands on all the fare!"

So why is an event celebrating Hummus being criticized by a blog dedicated to Hummus lovers of the world?

Perhaps there is nothing wrong with the Israeli community celebrating a food dish most Israelis love and cherish.

It's probably a great opportunity to promote various Israeli restaurants in Los Angeles and their own Hummus dishes.

That said, in LA, most of the best Hummus restaurants based on our own personal experience have always been Arab restaurants.

The Hummus festival should not have been marketed as an Israeli Hummus festival but rather as the Beverly Hills Hummus festival.

Hummus is a dish loved by everyone - and brings much pride to both Arabs and Israelis. 

Unlike the real estate conflict between Palestinians and Israelis in the middle east - a conflict that unlike the media noise about it - at it's base is a conflict focused on a land dispute -   i.e. REAL ESTATE. 

There is no conflict between Israelis and Arabs living in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Fernando Valley etc.  Former Israeli and Arab country residents now residing in the US might have opposing opinions about the solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict in the middle east - but  in the US - their legal country of resident there is no US based real estate conflict. 

That is why, I feel the Israeli consulate erred in being a partner to this event. So did the city of Beverly Hills that approved of this event outside their city hall.

The event should have been called The first Beverly Hills Hummus Festival - without having it belonging to any one nation or it could have been the Middle Eastern Hummus Festival and have all middle eastern restaurants be part of it.

Many Israelis are Hummus connoisseurs and so when it comes to Hummus they don't care who makes it as long as it has a great taste.

In Israel - the best Hummus restaurants, in many people's opinions are owned by Arabs and are located in Arab villages not in the big Jewish cities. Also, some of the best Hummus is made by Palestinians and some are even in contentious areas like east Jerusalem. 

People who love hummus know that sometimes one has to put politics aside and just focus on the taste and choose where to eat based on taste not the opinions of the creator of the hummus.

Many Israelis living in Los Angeles love going to the Arab restaurants in LA  for the great Hummus they serve. 

That said - do we really care about the politics of the owner of the Thai restaurant we love? the Indian restaurant we love? The Italian restaurant we love?

Same goes for Hummus. 

Perhaps the idea of creating an Israeli Hummus festival - is to hint to members of the LA Jewish community it's a Kosher event with Kosher Hummus.  That's OK but then they should have labeled it for what it is. A KOSHER Jewish Hummus festival rather than an Israeli Hummus festival.

Even in Israel - not all Israeli restaurants are Kosher. Some are certified as Halal - which obey the Islamic laws - and some Israeli restaurants go by no religious laws and only obey the country's health laws.

Moreover - what does Israeli Hummus festival actually mean ? The Hummus is made by local restaurants here. They are called Israeli - perhaps because the owner might be Israeli - but the food is actually middle eastern in most cases.  

Saying Israeli Hummus is like saying American Pad thai, American Alu Gobi, American Spaghetti.

While Americans love Pad Thai, Alu Gobi  and Spaghetti they aren't American dishes even if they are served in an "American restaurants" -  Hopefully, there is no hard feeling by anyone in the US for calling Pad Thai a Thai dish, Alu Gobi an Indian dish and Spaghetti an Italian dish.

Consulates always want to promote events that promote their country and so I understand why someone at the consulate approved of promoting an Israeli Hummus festival.

 I feel for most of us - words still mean something - and words can hide behind them a lot of things - including racism and hatred.

The Beverly Hills Farmer's market  which is hosting this event could have gotten probably the same amount of response and maybe even more if they labeled this the first Hummus Festival and underneath add in the paragraph describing this event- Kosher Hummus, Halal Hummus, yes and even claim there is an authentic Israeli Hummus - which I have no clue how it tastes different than an Arab or middle eastern hummus.    They could have still added fun for the whole family including Israeli music etc..This way they would not have alienated anyone and made it into an event for all middle easterners who love hummus - regardless if they are  former Israelis, Lebanese, Syrians, Egyptians, Persians and all other Middle eastern Hummus lovers.

Hummus must continue to be a tasty dish that unites all middle easterners and not something that seperates them just like other issues seperate them.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

I hope those of you reading this will not think I am biased against any political view. This isn't about what the solution to the conflict should be. This is merely about how we not politicize Hummus.

Here's a link to the event. If you feel like it - let the organizers know that Hummus festivals must unite people and not be something that is separates members of the middle eastern family.

FACEBOOK PAGE FOR ISRAELI HUMMUS FESTIVAL

HUMMUS COMPETITION STORY ON KCRW BLOGS

Sometimes life just moves too fast and some things don't get the attention they deserve. 

But better late than never - so we're posting a bit late - the blog from KCRW of the Hummus competition that was conducted here in LA.

Yours truly was one of the judges in a Hummus competition and sat on the same panel as Evan Kleinman - one of the most respected food critics in California who's honesty, and exquisite taste has helped educate Angelenos and make LA one of the food capitals of the nation.  

In the first LA Hummus competition  Egyptian Nancy Boules of Cafe Dahab won.   

Egypt as mentioned in the past in our Hummus blog had been the birth place of Hummus - so there was something historic in this win. 

Do check out Cafe Dahab: 

http://www.cafedahab.com/

It is so wonderful that Hummus is slowly making it's way into mainstream culture - cause it is a food that is both healthy, nutritious and so tasty.

Enjoy the article and hope it makes you want to eat an entire bowl of Hummus.

http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/2012/06/hummus-competition-aka-continuing-food-education/

Hummus Competition – aka Continuing Food Education

Posted June 5, 2012 by Evan Kleiman | Comments Off | 3,357 views]

I don’t judge many food competitions, but when I was asked to judge a Hummus Competition I was intrigued. I eat hummus. I make hummus. But I’m not an expert on the addicting puree.

I’ve never been to Israel or Lebanon or Egypt so I have no frame of reference for what is considered correct and delicious in situ.  I have no idea of regional variations.  The contest, organized by filmmaker Avital Levy, and billed as a fundraiser for her documentary “Hummus Wars” would feature “5-7 contestants – all very different – a couple Israelis, a few Americans, 1 or 2 who never made hummus before, a chef for Steven Spielberg’s Dreamworks studios and one for an Egyptian restaurant.

I don’t judge many food competitions, but when I was asked to judge a Hummus Competition I was intrigued. I eat hummus. I make hummus. But I’m not an expert on the addicting puree.

I’ve never been to Israel or Lebanon or Egypt so I have no frame of reference for what is considered correct and delicious in situ.  I have no idea of regional variations.  The contest, organized by filmmaker Avital Levy, and billed as a fundraiser for her documentary “Hummus Wars” would feature “5-7 contestants – all very different – a couple Israelis, a few Americans, 1 or 2 who never made hummus before, a chef for Steven Spielberg’s Dreamworks studios and one for an Egyptian restaurant.

Since 2007 Israel and Lebanon have battled with chickpeas and tahini over the Guinness World Record for the largest bowl of hummus.  As the years go by the competition has pushed the size from a paltry 900 lbs to the current Lebanese behemoth bowl at 23,042 lbs (see photo above).  The title has gone back and forth across the border over the years.

The competition at a private home in the Hollywood Hills featured American, Israeli and Egyptian competitors.  How could I turn down such an excellent opportunity to further my hummus education?  My fellow judges were Dudi Caspi, writer for Shavua Israel and hummus lover and Dan Katzir, filmmaker and hummus blogger.  The MC started the evening off with the comment, “The moon is rising over the trees like a big bowl of hummus.”

Entries ranged from a lemony, super smooth Egyptian puree to a rough mash made in the pre-blender/food processor style.  There was an assertive SoCal version made with Jalapenos and a New York entry that was dense and sweetened with caramelized onions.  Cumin was omnipresent in some and nearly absent in others.  A couple could have used a little salt.  I learned a lot, laughed even more and learned that democracy is a powerful thing.  Turns out that we judges came to the same conclusion as the audience “tasters” who were texting their faves.

The winner for 2012  was the super smooth lemony hummus made by Egyptian Nancy Boules of Cafe Dahab. Runner up was 70 year old Jerusalemite Ram Alkaly, represented by his son Ben.

THE BLASPHEMY OF MEXITERRANEAN FOOD !

"East is East and West is West and Never the twain they meet"

So wrote the poet awhile back, and his words are so accurate - especially when we are looking at Hummus.

The success of food trucks in LA has led to a fusion of various cuisines - including Asian and Mexican.

And while some of these fusions do work and create a new hybrid that is interesting -

The combination of middle eastern and Mexican cuisine doesn't work in our opinion on any level.

There is no need for a Burrito - cause Middle Easterns already have the Pita.

There is no need for hot peppers - cause middle easterners already have Garlice

And there's no need for Guacomole sauce- cause we already have Hummus.

Thus I don't understand why people love this new cuisine and the fact that it's becoming so popular proves that at the end of the day - people don't really want to eat great food - but prefer eating dilluted food as long as it has a catchy name!

Both Mexican and Middle Eastern foods are wonderful - both are spicy both are unique both are very popular and both are healthy.

But the combination of both creates such a cacophony of different strong tastes that it becomes something incoherent and chaotic.

The texture of Mexiterranean is also a travesty as that too is inconsistent with either one of the two original cuisines that created it.

TO CONCLUDE:

Mexiterranean to me is like a TIGON or a LIGER - a combination of a Tiger and Lion. Can it be achieved thanks to modern science? Yes. Is it good for the new hybrid animal? No. Does it create a totally deformed new animal? TOTALLY!! Is it dangerous? YES. It breaks the heart of anyone that loves Tigers and Lions and sees what science can do to destroy both breeds.

So perhaps the question of the day isn't COULD THIS HYBRID BE DONE but rather -

SHOULD THIS HYBRID BE ALLOWED?

And to that my answer is a simple and very loud - NO!

YELP's LIST OF 10 Most recommended HUMMUS RESTAURANTS IN LA

One of the interesting things I noticed in Yelp's list of Hummus restaurants in Los Angeles is that many of the names on the list I never even heard of.
I asked friends and they didn't hear about them either and they're just as big Hummus Connesseurs as me.

I don't know if it says something about Yelp or about those who judge the Hummus. But since we aim to be fair and unbalanced Hummus critiques - we'll give all these places the benefit of the doubt. Also, many of the places don't neccessarily have the best Hummus but are located in a place that has heavy traffic and so gets lots of reviews. ( Remember those who said in the restaurant business it's only about 3 things: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!)
What the list clearly shows is that Zankou chicken have truly positioned themselves to be the most talked about online Middle eastern restaurant and that Glendale and Pasadena have become a true alternative for middle eastern food to Los Angeles.
While I do like their food - their Hummus - is their weakest link and I'd grade it only as barely a 6 (Out of 10) And that's on a good day... Zankou is to Hummus what Mcdonalds is to Hamburgers. Clean, fast but far from special!
That said, in the coming month's check out the rest of the top ten Yelp list and if anyone else has experience with any of the places to send us your thoughts.

!. Hayat's Kitchen got 205 votes and overall 4.5 stars (out of 5)
11009 Burbank Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 761-4656

2. Mini Kabob got 200 votes and overall 4.5 stars (out of 5)
313 Vine St
Glendale, CA 91204
(818) 244-1343

3. Mediterranean Cafe got 389 votes and overall 4.5 stars
273 Shoppers Ln
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 793-8844

4. Skaf's grill got 184 votes and 4.5 stars
6008 Laurel Canyon Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91606
(818) 985-5701

5. Sultan's chicken got 79 votes and 4 stars
311 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 236-0604

6. Zankou Chicken got 253 votes and 4 stars
1415 E Colorado St
Glendale, CA 91205
(818) 244-1937

7. Zankou Chicken got 505 votes and 4 stars
5065 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 665-7842

8. Sunnin Lebanese cafe got 471 votes and 4 stars
1776 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 475-3358

9. Kabab way got 90 votes and 4.5 stars
919 S Glendale Ave
Glendale, CA 91205
(818) 242-3150

10. Zankou Chicken got 481 votes and 4 stars
1296 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 405-1502

AND THE WINNER FOR BEST ISRAELI HUMMUS IN LA IS... CHAPA

A friend took me to Chapa, a new place a few months ago in a small strip mall on Crescent Heights and Wilshire.

For those not familiar with LA, Wilshire is one of the hubs of the business area in Los Angeles and so finding a small Israeli place there is kind of wierd.
That said, the Israeli consulate, the Jewish federation and Nu Image, the Israeli owned production company that has already produced hundreds of successful features with many Hollywood stars are all located there so it's an area that has a lot of Israelis that will appreciate a great hummus place.

The place looks uninspiring. I went back there with an American friend to see how a local will react to the food and ecor and he didn't understand it.  But for Israeli's this place reminds them of many famous Hummus places in Israel that have that grundgy run down atmosphere.  It's like for a New Yorker to come to Los Angeles and enter Canters or Jerry's deli... and be reminded of Carnegie Deli or 2nd Avenue deli.
It feels authentic and real. For others it might just look run down and greasy...

The food is really tasty. Try their Falafel, it's superb. The Hummus is very Israeli style.
They give large portions and are very generous with all their food. The pitas were fresh.
The chicken Shawarma, according to some is a little too greasy.  I didn't try it - but an Israeli friend who tried it claimed it's just like in Israel in any Shawarma Joint.

Prices were great and unlike many of the other places I've reviewed - were logical and made me want to come back.

If I have one complaint about the place it was that because it's so packed during lunch- you have to stand in a long line and wait and also it takes awhile to get the food.
Guess, I'm not the only one that discovered how good the food is here.

Since in past reviews of new places, after the initial newness of the place faded and the owner started serving small portions of unfresh food - this time I waited and visited the place three times before writing this review and it was always great - only the lines to buy the Hummus got longer and longer - proving that some people can be suckered some of the time- but most people- especially middle eastern food lovers can't be suckered all the time.
A lot of people are fed up with the expensive price of mediocre food they get in other places and so the rumor of Chapa's wonderful food and cheap prices has spread fast and people are going there to curb their Hummus craving.

This place isn't meant for a romantic middle eastern place for a date. But if you already have love and want to treat her to good food or ...
If you're on a love break and just want great Hummus in the meantime -
This Hummus place will do the job perfectly.

I wish Chapa a lot of success and hope they won't be influenced by their competitors and raise prices and lower the quality and quantity of the food once they get a little more established.

In the meantime - all I can say for lunch: CHAPA IS FIVE FALAFEL BALLS in my blog!

6256 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Neighborhood: Mid-City West

(323) 936-2460

www.chapagrill.net

Itzik Hagadol - Encino, California

OVERALL RATING: * ( 1 star out of 5)
PRICE: ULTRA EXPENSIVE
TASTE: * ( 1 star out of 5)

Itzik Hagadol is an Israeli restaurant across the street from the Encino Town Center shopping mall. A great location for a restaurant in Encino that holds so much potential. It shares the same name as a popular middle eastern restaurant in Israel.  From their website it seems that the two restaurant are connected:  http://itzikhagadol.com/

Currently this is the most expensive Middle Eastern restaurant I've eaten in the united states - and unfortunetly the price doesn't justify the experience.

Even their lunch menus are super expensive. 

An average meal is between $30 - $50 per person and when you think what you get in return - some  Hummus and a little bit of middle eastern food -you ask yourself are people crazy for agreeing to pay that price?

As for the taste:

The Hummus is mostly bland and uninspiring just like most of their salads.
That said, their Pitas are baked on the premise and are wonderful and fresh. 

Their lunch 10 salad special is a scam. It's not only expensive (about $10 per person as a main dish and about $6 for a side dish and everyone at the table is forced to pay it regardless if only one person orders it or if everyone orders it) They bring to the table those salads that are the least inspiring. They don't give Hummus, Tabulleh or any of the salads that are what people usually desire and expect when they crave for middle eastern salad.

During lunch when I was there, the place was packed which proves that perhaps some people don't mind paying a lot and getting very little. 

Nearbye there are a lot of middle eastern restaurants. One of them even advertises a full buffet meal for $9.99. So it make one wonder about the logic or rational of Hummus lovers.

Here is their address for those not caring about price or taste. 

17201 Ventura Boulevard

Encino, CA 91316
(818) 784-4080

Habibi Cafe Westwood California

Every reviewer is always torn between his personal tastes and what he sees is the taste of the general public.  Perhaps that's why it's so hard for me to give an awful review to a successful restaurant that's always full of people. Maybe being a middle eastern myself  that causes my standards to be a bit high. Perhaps the crowd that comes to Habibi is less interested in the Hummus and more fascinated with smoking a Hookah close to UCLA. Habibi is  usually packed with college students wanting to mingle and smoke a Hookah.
But for those wanting a Hummus not a Hookah  I say - AVOID this place.

The Hummus tasted old and generic. I  felt it had too much garlic and I love garlic. So stating that something has a strong garlic after taste-  is not a comment I've ever used.

I also ordered their Falafel sandwich which comes in a small pita. There were about three Falafels in it overall and at the end I still felt hungry and unsatisfied. It costs $6.00 which is double what I would have paid if I would have ordered three one falafel in a small pita.
The Falafel came in the sandwich without hummus which was also dissapointing.

Their Falafel plate is $14 which I feel is robbery .

The Falafel is good but not great. I give it credit for being fresh - but the taste was nothing to write home about.  That said the way it was served was dissapointing. Tiny pita that doesn't really resemble a middle eastern pita - with a hole. It's more like a puffy Burrito or one of those things you get at a Greek restaurant. That contributed to the messy eating experience with this. It was also wrapped in an unusual way that made the entire meal uncomfortable and everything kept falling out of the sandwich.
If you're a college student on a date - don't eat the Falafel - cause you're almost guaranteed to look like a fool.

I wanted to check their take out as well and ordered a Hummus to go and got it in a paper box which was a first - Cheap paper that became soggy and added to the awful taste of the Hummus.
Also, they were extremely ungenerous with the Hummus. They served it in a very small quantity - oh and they dizzled some olive oil which helped make the box even soggier. This treat will run you $5.95 which for the size I felt was overpriced.

They don't accept Mastercard or Visa for under $10 - which means you can't just go in there and order a falafel sanwich . I waited to get the Falafel to go for over 20 minutes even thought there was no one there. The place has bad service and is very slow. Guess people who go there aren't in a rush.

If you're a college student and want to sit with friends to smoke a Hookah I'd recommend this place.
For food - I suggest go elsewhere.

This Hummus is one of the worst Hummus I've tasted in Los Angeles - and so I give this place a one star - only for the atmosphere.

AVOID. AVOID. AVOID if possible!

Two more restaurants to avoid in Los Angeles

In the last few month's I've eaten in mostly horrible LA restaurants and so preferred not to write any new review cause it annoyed me.


PITA BAR AND GRILL
Fairfax Avenue. Fairfax district. Los Angeles. California


A new restaurant that opened strong and got a half decent review in this blog. They had a special deal where one could get a pita with Falafel and a soft drink for $5.
The first 3 month were a dream. Fresh Falafel, Fresh pita and pretty good hummus.
But all that changed.
No more special deal.
Now for $5 one gets onlythe Pita without the soft drink.
The Pita's are no longer fresh - but a day old.
The amount of Falafel's has been reduced by about 30% in each Pita.
I gave them a second chance before writing this review and the same thing happened so I guess it's no longer just a one time thing.

Sadly PITA BAR and Grill have joined my AVOID LIST


HABAYIT RESTAURANT
Phone 310-479-5444
11921 West Pico Blvd
LA CA 90064

Another new place I tasted was HABAYIT RESTAURANT.
They're pretty good.
The Hummus isn't Lebanese but rather a Polish Israeli take on the classic dish - but for an Israeli Glatt Kosher restaurant it's pretty good.
But the prices of everything else is so ridiculous that I can only give it an AVOID rating.
I hate it when restaurants that have a GLATT KOSHER rating believe they can overprice cause they think that religous Jews are dumb.
But the place was full for lunch so I don't know what to say.
Here's the lunch menu they gave me:
Entrees:
Meetballs $15.95
Kebab $15.95
Schnitzel $15.95

Falafel Plate (with 2 pitas) $10.95
Shakshuka $9.95

Falafel Sandwhich $7.95
Hummus Sandwich $6.45

Hummus plate $6.45

Salads to go (Per Lb) $9.95

The place looks like a super cheap diner. It's not located in the easiest to find place. It's mainly looks like a place to grab a quick and fast lunch.
but these prices puts a meal with a Hummus opener plate and a soft drink and a coffee at $25-$30 per person. FOR LUNCH.
So I don't know who's their clientele.
It's neither for those wanting a fast and cheap lunch - cause it's too expensive.
The place looks too cheap for a business lunch - so it's not a place to invite a person to discuss business.

I guess it's a place for Israeli's wanting a Glatt Kosher place and a little bit of Hummus but nothing else.

Their minimum delivery policy is $40 so they're not fit for a single person craving a fast one either.

A pity- the place could have been so much more successful if they would lower prices and have a real lunch menu with decent pricing.

Anyways, for now it's an avoid.
Big time!

USA: California Los Angeles Hummus

Los Angeles has a lot of various Hummus serving restuarants. Lebanese, Middle Eastern, Armenian and Israeli among others.
There is something in the Hummus served in many of these places that just doesn't taste like the authentic Hummus that can be eaten in the middle east.

BEST: GYPSY CAFE
Rating: *****
This used to be my favorite spot.They are easier to get to and more centrally located than Zahle but they're also more expensive. They're located in the middle of Westwood which means a parking nightmare and it's taken me just as much time to find parking in the area as it would have taken me to drive all the way to Zahle.

That said they give larger portions than Zahle so it's a close call between the current champ and the runner up.
Still a Hummus plate costs $7 which some feel is highway robbery for the white gold.

Their Hummus is simply divine. One of the best Hummus restaurants in th US.
They also have amazing Falafel.
They're mostly a Hukkah place so be prepared to inhale a lot of smoke while eating your Hummus. Their Falafel and all their other foods are also great. But the Hummus- is their cherry topping.
Their website is:
http://www.gypsycafe.com/

Across the street there's a much more popular Hookah place that also serves food. While the crowd in the place across the street is younger and hipper. For Hookah smoking and for crowd viewing go there. But for Hummus go to the Gypsy cafe.

Hours of operation based on their website:

"Gypsy Cafe opens at 9am Monday thru Friday and 10am Sat and Sun serving breakfast and coffee our full menu is available from 10am daily.
We are open 365 days a year
We are open daily until 2am
Sunday thru Wednesday
Open until 4am Thursday thru Saturday
For parties & catering please call 310 824-2119 before 11.30am."

Their address:
940 Broxton Avenue,
Westwood Village, 90024


ADDITIONAL PLACES:

LEBANESE HUMMUS

SUNNIN
Rating ***

Wonderful Hummus. Tastes authentic and fresh.
The problem with this place is that it's a fast food place rather than a regular restaurant.
It's relatively inexpensive. Hummus is $3.65 for a small sized Hummus (Which is tiny) and $4.65 for a larger dish - which is still small but can serve one adult (assuming he's not too hungry)
Falafel is about $8 a plate and a meet dish is about $10
They serve on ugly disposable plastic plates and seating is uncomfortable. It feels very authentic.
They're now renovating a large space across the street. I wonder if once they move to the more upscale place if they'll raise their prices and like other middle eastern restaurants and lose the charm this place had.
It's seems it's always full. It's a little gem.
Sunnin Lebanese Cafe
1779 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tel:(310) 477-2358


CAYANNE CAFE
Rating ** 1/2

Cayane on Beverly Blvd is a wonderful and intimate Lebanese restaurant.
Their Hummus is good. It's not in the same league as Gypsy cafe, but there's a quiet nice vibe at this place and so we recommend it even thought their Hummus still leaves much to be desired.
Their Hummus is priced decently, but the rest of the meal is expensive. Maybe too expensive.
Their Shukshuka sometimes is great- when served in a pan and sometimes mediocre if served in a plate. Try to get Sam the owner to make the Shukshuka and serve it in the pan- then it comes divine. The best Shukshuka in LA.
Their website:
http://www.cayennecafe.net
They are located on Beverly Blvd. between Formosa and Detroit.

Hours of Operation:
Tuesday-Sunday 9:00am-10:00pm
Friday-Saturday 9:00am-11:00pm
Monday Closed

Parking:
Street parking available on Formosa Ave.
2-hour restriction before 4pm, No restriction after 4pm

ISRAELI HUMMUS

BEST FOR PARTIES:

Hummus Bar
Rating ***

18743 Ventura Blvd
Tarzana, CA 91356
(818) 344-6606


Good Hummus but the highlight is the Laffa pita which is fresh and hot. Try their Laffa Pita with Zaatar it's heavenly.
This place is ideal for parties as they can combine tables to form a huge long table that can seat nearly 50 people. their prices are not cheap but also not expensive.

ZAHLE
RATING ** 1/2

I used to love this place cause they have divine Hummus- Some would even argue the best hummus in LA. But recently they've hiked their prices and they're too expensive to recommend.
I'm very dissapointed with their pricing for food- but the chef gets an A++ especially for their Hummus.
This place has an identity crisis.
It's too run down to invite anyone for a fancy meal or a date- and it's too expensive to go out with a friend to eat out at a fast friendly local joint. It's also not in most people's way- it's in North Hollywood about 30 minute drive (without traffic) from Hollywood.
They serve tiny portions of everything so expect to pay around $50-$100 per person for a full middle eastern meal.
I repeat $50 - as in FIFTY DOLLARS is what an average meal will cost you.
Maybe it's just me, but for that price- it'll be cheaper and more satisfactory to go to an upscale Sushi restaurant in Beverly Hills and not to a run down place in North Hollywood.

But back to their Hummus.
Their Hummus is $4 a plate.
But everything else is in too expensive.
They don't have a mixed plate with Hummus, Falafel and Salad. You have to buy them as separate dishes and it'll run you $25 without drinks. JUST FOR FALAFEL...

So for now, until they return to their senses- and to normal pricing- I suggest to avoid.

Lebanese Restaurant. North Hollywood.
12916 Victory Blvd. (Coldwater Canyon Ave.) North Hollywood, CA 91606
Phone:
818-769-1936

Aroma
Rating: AVOID!
THIS IS THE ULTIMATE SUCKER MAGNET. EXPENSIVE. NOISY. AWFUL SERVICE. UGLY BEHAVIOR BOTH OF THE STAFF AND THE PEOPLE COMING THERE AND ENJOYING TO ARGUE AND SHOUT AT THE MEAN AND UNHELPFUL STAFF.
PERSONALLY I ALWAYS TRY TO AVOID THIS PLACE THAT MAKES ME CRINGE AND FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE FROM THE MOMENT I ENTER TILL THE MOMENT I LEAVE.

Many Israeli's know Aroma Cafe which has two branches one in the valley and one in Los Angeles. They are popular places and the perfect place to see a lot of Israelis sitting together. But in terms of their Hummus, it's a two thumbs down. Their hummus is mediocre at best and it's way overpriced. Expect to pay between $50-$100 minimum for a very light meal that will leave you craving for more.
The place has slow and horrible service and not all their other dishes tasted fresh.

Haifa
Rating: **
Haifa restaurant has mediocre Hummus as well, but it's the place many Jewish Angelenos think about when they think about a Hummus restaurant.
It's located in the Jewish area of Pico-Roberton.
8717 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90035-2205
Phone: (310) 550-2704

Pita Bar
Rating: **
This very down to earth place is located in the old Jewish neighborhood of Fairfax street which is now changing and becoming a hipsters paradise. This restaurant reminds the visitors to this street of its glorious past before becaming the new center for Skateboard fans.
It replaced the famed restaurant Shula and Esther and it's food is very similar to Haifa. The place feels very authentic but the Hummus is mediocre at best. Still it will satisfy most people with an urgent need for some decent Hummus and it's Kosher.
* Middle Eastern, Kosher
* 519 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles 90036
* (Btwn Clinton St & Rosewood Ave)
* Phone: (323) 653-9024
Mon-Thu: 11am-11pm Fri: 11am-4pm Sun: 10am-11pm


NANA
RATING: AVOID! AVOID! AVOID!

Located in the Pico Robertson Area- It's competing with Aroma for the ultimate sucker magnet.
It's expensive, awful and I recommend to avoid.
That said a lot of Israeli's sit there- which proves that indeed a sucker's born every minute.

ITZIK HAGADOL

Another place for suckers.
RATING: AWFUL. AVOID!


Middle Eastern Fast Food Chains

ARMENIAN HUMMUS:

Zankou Chicken
Rating: *
Some love it some hate it. It's an Armenian chain and so perhaps they're flavoring is more specific. It's a bit more expensive fast food chain - Chipotle style if you wish to compare- so don't expect a lot from the decor. It's mostly for fast and ultra cheap meals. Their website for various locations:
http://www.zankouchicken.com/

FROM THE EXPERTS:

CHOWHOUND LINK:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/328259

YELP:
CAROUSEL
Rating **

Many reviewers on this popular website think the two Carousel restaurants are the best.
CAROUSEL
AnArmenian/Lebanese restaurant that's quite popular. It's located in little Armenia close to Thai town - quite east for many Angelenos.
Their Hummus is mediocre and they give small portions as well.
That said, they give much larger portions of meat. So just for Hummus go elsewhere, but for an overall meal and if you like Armenian spicing it's a place to consider.

Here's the link:
http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=best+hummus&find_loc=Los+Angeles%2C+CA&ns=1&rpp=10#mapCenterLat:34.0524876261/mapCenterLng:-118.243103027/mapZoom:10/cats:mideastern/sortby:composite_rating/mapsize:small/show_more_search_options:true