Chickpea chic
Hilary Biller visits a reincarnation of a blast from the past
It was close to the perfect mojito — a generous tot of rum, not too sweet, a good dash of lime, a handful of ice, fragrant fresh mint leaves and the enticing condensation dripping down the sides of a highball glass … but what about the plastic straw? Drinks and guilt aside, we’d come to experience the Ba-Pita renaissance, the revival of the ever-so-hip original that started out in Yeoville as a takeaway, evolved into a destination restaurant and became an institution, such was its popularity in the famous Rockey Street at a time when “hummus” and “falafel” were as foreign as a R6 note and straws were sommer straws.
With times a-changing, founder Gerald Elliot closed his doors in 2002. Almost two decades later, when readymade tubs of hummus are two-apenny and “exotic” Middle Eastern specialities are entrenched in our food culture, Elliot has resurrected the old favourite with business partner Toerie van der Merwe.
“This street, 7th Avenue in Melville, reminded Elliot of the same vibe of what Rockey Street offered at the time,” said Van der Merwe, adding that many of their customers are loyal followers of the original.
What’s changed? The menu has evolved; the restaurant spread out in a in a large airy room with an elevated, open, bustling kitchen decorated in colourful mosaics. Hanging from the ceiling are an
array of covetable Middle Eastern lamps.
On a cool winter’s afternoon, the open-air back area, with the sun on our backs and people talking and eating, was the perfect spot.
As well as the selection of hummus available in plain, butternut and beetroot the menu includes a selection of tapas-style plates, a variety of laffa and shawarma to suit your taste, and platters. The vegetarian one beckoned (R180 for two people). It arrived on a shiny fake-silver tray that didn’t seem right for the vibe. Beautiful and colourful, a large cauliflower took centre stage. It was topped with tahini and generously studded with soft slivers of roasted garlic, but I missed the promise of pomegranate molasses. Garlicky roasted florets of broccoli formed a wreath around the brassica and there was a crunchy fresh Jerusalem salad plus a mound of lightly charred butternut slices topped with toasted almonds. Delicious. In one corner of the tray stood a bowl of their famous hummus, a little hidden (we could have wolfed down double that) under four 4 falafel balls with two pita breads to soak up the flavours. A veritable feast.
We finished off with two thick cigars of baklava, (R45), yummy — and even better dunked in vanilla ice cream. Ba-Pita is back!