Hummus Kitchen is a small restaurant chain with 3 locations in Manhattan. We stopped by the Hell’s Kitchen spot for some mezze dishes (small plates typical of Mediterranean restaurants). The restaurant appears small from the outside, but the layout flows all the way to the back. Long wooden tables line the walls, where we found a seat closest to the window to people-watch.
We started off with – obviously hummus. We ordered “The Hummus Kitchen”, a platter divided by four types of hummus: chickpea, chicken, tahini, and plain. All the hummus flavors tasted pretty much the same, being that the base was probably reused for all servings, but the dips were tasty nonetheless. Chicken was a favorite because of the textural difference.
A glass of warm apple cider accompanied the mezze plates on this particularly colder day.
The Stuffed Grape Leaves (or what I’d call Dolmades) were beautifully plated. The leaves were stuffed with flavored Basmati rice topped with mint dressing, dill, pomegranate seeds, and were served warm.
As a huge fan of anything beets, I really enjoy this dish. The Charred Beets were tossed with tahini, silan (date syrup), organic mixed greens, and walnuts.
Similar to the beets, the Cauliflower mezze came grilled with tahini, red onions, and thyme. A simple dish with just enough flavors.
I’ve never had Falafel so elegantly served before, so this was unexpected. The falafel balls made from greens and chickpeas were stacked with tahini, cured cabbage, and grilled onion. Not the easiest to eat, but also not lacking in anything.
Even though I’m not much of a desserts person, I was talked into ordering the Loco Morocco. Description included, “Chocolate mousse cake with coconut and whipped cream over dark chocolate sauce”. And it really did taste just as good as described.
Hummus Kitchen: laid-back, decently priced Mediterranean food, especially among the rowdy/crowded places in Hell’s Kitchen. Good hummus, but would probably opt for the intriguing flavors and save on their platter. Mezze options are very vegetarian (and vegan!) friendly, but for the most part flavored similarly. I would definitely come back if I was hungry and walking by, but it’s not high on my priority list of things to do.
Website: www.hummuskitchen1.com
Address: 768 9th Ave, New York, NY 10019
