Fresh, authentic ingredients elevate Pita Hut-n-grille
Fresh, authentic ingredients elevate Pita Hut-n-grille
For 13 years, Pita Hut-n-grille has been putting out fresh-made Middle Eastern fare in an unassuming storefront just south of Graceland Shopping Center in Clintonville.
Lutfi Ayoub, who purchased the store six months after it was opened, said he has stayed true to the menu by making dishes true to the original style, even importing spices from Jerusalem for the utmost authenticity.
“It’s fast but it’s not ‘fast’ fast,” he said of the food, much of which is prepared to order. “You have to wait. if you want good food, you have to wait.”
The main attraction is the chicken shawarma ‒ chicken cutlets that have been marinated in lemon, vinegar and spices and packed on a spit, where it is cooked vertically while it twirls.
Ayoub slices off pieces and grills them for a little texture before service.
A popular way to order the chicken is in a pita ($9.99 for a combo with fries and a drink), which is cut open and stuffed with hummus, Jerusalem salad (tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley), onions, cabbage, pickles and a choice of sauce, from mild tahini to something much hotter, made with jalapeno, habaneros, coriander and cilantro. Extra veggies are 75 cents each. A chicken shawarma platter, which comes with three sides, is $13.99.
A litany of popular Middle Eastern sides is served at Pita Hut: Baba ghanoush, cauliflower salad, eggplant salad, hummus and tabbouleh (all $4.99 for a small, $6.99 for a large). All are made in-house.
“Everything we make is from scratch,” Ayoub said. “Everything we make is fresh. We don’t use any cans.”
Among the most popular is the falafel ($3.99 for 10, $7.99 for 20), a blend of chickpeas, garlic, onion, parsley and cilantro, formed into little rounds and fried for a crunchy, golden-brown exterior. It is served with the sesame-seedbased tahini sauce.
Located in a quaint, narrow storefront, with booth seating and murals on the walls, Pita Hut arrived on the local
Native to parts of Asia and Africa, it is grown all over the world and used in a variety of cuisines, although the sweet variety (Ocimum bacilicum) and its close cousin Genovese basil are most associated with Italian and Mediterranean cooking.
Basil plays a supporting role in any number of pasta dishes, and it pairs so wonderfully with tomatoes that it is a key player not just in caprese salad and classic marinara sauce, but also on a pizza margherita as a salute to the green stripe in Italy’s flag.
It was considered a token of love in Italian folklore. If a man accepted a sprig of sweet basil from a woman, it was believed that he would fall helplessly in love with her.
Thai basil, conversely, has a licorice flavor, making it a go-to choice for
Asian dishes. Another popular variety, lemon basil, has a noticeable citrus flavor that lends itself to seafood. Purple basil, in addition to adding a beautiful pop of color to dishes, has a slightly spicy flavor and is good in salads or when steeped in vinegar.
Basil needs some TLC when it is brought home from the market or taken inside from the garden. It does a lot better stored like a bouquet of flowers in a glass of water on the counter at room temperature. But the leaves also can be wrapped in paper towels, placed in a plastic bag and slipped into the refrigerator. Just know they keep only for a day or so when chilled.
If you have plenty of the herb, consider freezing it. You will have to blanch the leaves first to preserve their beautiful bright-green color, then pat them dry with a dish cloth or paper towel. Place them in a freezer-safe container, separated into layers with wax or parchment paper. Or puree fresh basil leaves with olive oil (1 tablespoon per 1 cup of basil) and freeze the mixture in an ice-cube tray.
But that is for a later day. To use the basil immediately, we have some tasty ideas.
Making pesto is a no-brainer. But don’t be content to simply toss the garlicky sauce made with pine nuts and olive oil with pasta. Spread it on sandwiches, dollop it on top of pizza, toss it with steamed or grilled vegetables, or whisk it with mayo into chicken, egg or tuna salad. You also can marry pesto with butter as an herby topping for corn on the cob.
If you are seeking a basil-heavy main dish without ties to Italy, consider a spicy stir-fry. Thai chicken basil comes together in less time than it takes to order takeout. Thai chilies can make your palate burn, but spicy food actually helps to cool you off when it is hot because it makes you sweat.
And for dessert, nothing shouts summer like a cool and creamy lime pie. Take it to the next level by adding some basil to the filling. Sweet basil has a hint of mint that pairs exceptionally well with citrus, and a bite of something sweet can be a great way to close out the day.