Diners at Lebanese eatery find tasty meals in heroic portions
When a restaurant is named after a dish, the restaurant ought to nail that dish. Mr. Hummus Grill does this, but the new Lebanese eatery gets more than its namesake dip right.
Apart from kitchen matters, Mr. Hummus Grill made a smart decision to retain the carved, highly polished wood-paneled walls it inherited from Cafe Shish Kebab, a defunct predecessor with a similar sensibility and “keep it simple” naming strategy. Another sharp decision made by this business with a casual atmosphere and food-truck roots is to offer tableware with a little panache.
This includes simple-butattractive serving bowls and platters and name-branded copper cups used as water glasses. The latter resemble Moscow mule mugs, but that’s as close as diners will get to an alcoholic beverage in the eatery.
Nonetheless, spirits will be lifted by the strong cooking here. For a mood-elevating starter, try the soujouk: stubby, house-made, mildly spicy sausages that recall merguez (seven for $7). A couple of the fragrant little red links — which arrive seared, juicy and paired with lemony house tahini sauce — appear in an easy-to-inhale pita sandwich as well ($7).
The steaky makanek ($7) — Lebanese-style, pinkiesized house sausages — are similarly delicious but made without chili.
Lentil soup ($4) might sound less interesting, but it’s a good pick, too: The nuanced, hearty puree topped with fried pita “croutons” attests to a finely tuned recipe.
It’s noteworthy that Mr. Hummus offers several group-friendly, moneysaving combo platters that include its soothing hummus. The creamy, tahini-forward amalgam is appealingly rich and thick and judiciously brightened The mixed-grill combo platter at Mr. Hummus Grill