Mediterranean food in Hawthorne is a winner at Hummus House – Daily Breeze

My daughter was in town with several friends recently and they wanted me to take them on a “food adventure” which is easy in Southern California. Except… for her culinary peccadilloes, her dietary limits, and her allergy limitations.

There were so many of them (after all, they are young women in their early 20s, when food restrictions seem to be at their peak) that I had to create a chart, a Venn diagram, in order to find a kitchen that would be acceptable to everyone. — And he left me something to eat too.

There were vegetarians and vegans. Lactose intolerance and problems with gluten increased. There was a problem with the seafood, someone couldn’t eat spinach and brussels sprouts were out. So were the spicy dishes. Fortunately, no one was kosher. But that would have been minor, since red meat, and especially pork, was frowned upon.

So, I wrote lists, considered and pondered, worried and stressed. And in the end I decided on humus house – a Middle Eastern destination on Hawthorne Boulevard, across from a shopping mall that the ghost abandoned many years ago (although film crews still use it with some regularity). And I chose well, because Hummus House earned universal praise. And I ate well too.

I consider myself lucky that one of the dishes the girls agreed on was hummus. There is much more to the Hummus House menu than just hummus. But after all, it is the HUMMUS House. And to go here and not order the hummus sampler, with its nine hummus variations, would be missing the point, kind of like going to Langer’s Deli and not getting a #19 sandwich; is what the place is about.

The hummus variants are the traditional, roasted red pepper, artichoke pesto, dried tomato, roasted garlic, kalamata olive, jalapeño cilantro, chili fire and habanero. Although highly spiced hummus seems like a dubious notion, an outlier for those wondering why not chocolate too, it’s actually a very special treat. It looks a lot like a California creation, a bit of Mexican and Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s so good that when offered a side of hummus with the mains, several of the girls opted for the spicy twists. And they finished every bite.

Writing about Hummus House many years ago, I noted that “I have eaten hummus in many countries. I thought it would be fun to write a book called ‘Hummus of Many Nations’. Hummus may not be as universal as, say, pizza or a hamburger. But it’s definitely out there…” And it belongs to all those nations, as much as bread and rice.

A few years ago, writing about an Israeli restaurant and praising their hummus, I received a letter from a guy who complained that Israel had no right to serve hummus. So he baffled me with his complaint, and it still baffles me. Nations may know borders, but food does not. I say, hummus for everyone!

The second round of hummus served with the entrees is far from a touch on the side of the plate. It’s a hefty bowl of hummus, any of the nine flavors, which can lead to hummus overload. At least for me. The girls gobbled it up like Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food (dairy-free, of course!). And that was just one of the dishes they inhaled. They drank lots of tzatziki, lots of green falafel, tabbouleh and dolmas, and zucchini dumplings too.

Fortunately, I was smart enough to suggest sharing the entrees, which along with the hummus, come with salad, rice, and pita. We got a plate of skewers – chicken and kafta, some chicken shawarma and half a roast chicken. A herbed lamb burger wrapped in pita appeared at one end of the table. But when I went to look for it, it had disappeared.

One of the girls tried the berry flavored drink called Vimto. Another drank the tart cherry juice: “so tart!” she declared, before finishing each drop. As far as I can tell, despite the many alleged dietary issues, no one had any issues.

And then, they headed to the bars on Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach, because that’s what girls in their early 20s do. Exotic cocktails didn’t seem to be bound by the restrictions of whatever they consumed. Iced margies are for everyone!

Merrill Shindler is an independent food critic based in Los Angeles. Please email mreats@aol.com.

humus house

• Classification: 3 star
• Address: 12211 Hawthorne Blvd., Hawthorne
• Information: 310-675-3400; www.hummus-house.es
• Kitchen: Middle East
• When: Lunch and dinner, from Monday to Saturday
• Details: tea and soft drinks; no need to book
• Atmosphere: A good destination when you have a large crowd of diners with numerous dining concerns, as there is something for everyone at Hummus House, as long as they like Middle Eastern cuisine.
• Prices: About $18 per person
• On the menu: 8 Appetizers ($5.49-$6.99), 4 Salads ($7.99-$11.79), 12 Main Dishes ($12.99-$24.99), 9 Pita Bread and Burgers ($6.99-$9.29), 8 A la Carte Dishes ($4.29-$6.79), 8 Side Dishes ( $1.69-$4.99)
• Credit cards: MC, V.
• What the stars mean: 4 (World class! Worth a trip from anywhere!), 3 (Excellent, even exceptional. Worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California), 2 (A good place to eat. It’s worth a trip from anywhere in the neighborhood). 1 (If you’re hungry and close, but don’t get stuck in traffic.) 0 (Honestly, it’s not worth writing about).