A lovely Lebanese meal.
BY LUKE ERIKSEN, ’22. GRAPHICS BY LUCY O’BRIEN, ’22.
The warm, authentic chicken shawarma is tender, and the flavors from the spices took me on a trip to Lebanon.
Mr. Hummus Grill is a Lebanese American restaurant on 450 Bethel Road.
The restaurant is run by Tarek Albast. He has an incredible story as an immigrant from Lebanon who is now a chef and manages food trucks and Mediterranean restaurants. According to the Mr. Hummus Grill’s website, “Tarek has loved food since he was a chef in Lebanon and always planned on running his own kitchen.”
The menu has a mixture of American and Lebanese dishes. A few items on the menu that caught my attention were the falafel pizza and the Lebanese burger, which combines Lebanese and American cuisines. The menu also includes platters that range from $40-$100 and are meant to serve large families.
There were dozens of drinks to choose from including hot teas, smoothies, fresh-squeezed juice and cold soft-drinks.
I decided to try the chicken shawarma sandwich with falafel and tahini on the side.
The sandwich was more of a wrap, as it was prepared with thin Lebanese pita bread and looked like a thick taquito. Inside the warm pita bread, the chicken shawarma was a delicious combination of spices and tender, juicy, shredded meat. The chicken in the sandwich is made with traditional spices common in shawarma, including cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne. Additionally, there is a yogurt-based garlic sauce that was a bit thicker than I expected, creating an odd texture similar to ice cream; nonetheless, it was an excellent complement to the pickles and chicken inside the wrap.
Falafel is one of my favorite Mediterranean foods, so I knew I was going to order the falafel appetizer. The crispy outside layer, fried golden brown like a hushpuppy and dipped in the thin and sweet tahini sauce, made this an appetizer you can’t miss out on.
Mediterranean food has quickly become one of my favorite cuisines. The spices and flavors are often bold, yet I find them comforting and unique compared to most of the food I typically eat. As there aren’t many restaurants that offer a family-style experience, I’m eager to order a platter and share it with family or friends. The menu is vast, and I look forward to experimenting with new options in the future. Mr. Hummus is a valid choice if you are looking for a Lebanese American meal. With that being said, Mr. Hummus Grill is Lou approved.