An invitation to review Hummus Bros! Aren’t they a tailoring company? Posh morning coats for hire, wedding togs? Perhaps dinner jackets – it’s a restaurant review site, after all. No, dear sartorially inclined reader, Hummus Bros are a couple of lads (although not actually brothers) who have opened three rather unique casual restaurants with take-away counters.
Well, there are lots of casual eateries strewn across the length and breadth of London, so what makes Hummus Bros so noteworthy? It’s the food on offer. No sign of a cool-cabinet stuffed with under-stuffed iffy sarnies. No aroma of greasy burgery bits in buns, and the food here is a world away from dubious cheap ethnic lunches.So what do Hummus Bros sell? Hummus! We have all bought little tubs of this from our local supermarkets where it’s presented as a delicate spread, an addition to a summer buffet table rather than any sort of main event. We just don’t quite know what to do with it but we buy it because it makes us look cosmopolitan.This chickpea confection has not, until now, been part of the UK culinary tradition. Only a few of us have fond memories of the hummus our grandmothers used to make. But we would have said the same of Indian food a few years ago.Hummus Bros presents the eponymous dish as a real meal and although that’s new to us here, it is very much a part of the Middle Eastern fashion of eating. It’s a food that ticks all the practical and epicurean boxes for me. It’s typical comfort food with a creamy texture and mild flavour. It’s natural and healthy and it’s easy to eat – in fact so easy that you don’t even need cutlery, although those nice brothers do provide ecologically sound wooden forks for the overly genteel.
Hummus is converted from a snack into a meal by the addition of flavourful toppings. There are selections of standards that are advertised on the menu and there are weekly specials to keep the regulars engaged. For those who want to perk up the paste there are bottles of garlic and lemon to sprinkle. Mixed vegetable salad, tabouleh (bulgar wheat with finely chopped red peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, coriander, parsley and mint – authentic with lots of herbs), Greek salad, smoky barbecued aubergine, falafel salad are all offered as side dishes.There are two sizes available: a small bowl of topped hummus constitutes a light lunch, and a regular portion is a dinner for the seriously peckish. The mushroom topping with caramelised onions is a sweet vegetarian option for those who want a hearty and flavourful meal. All bowls of hummus have brown fluffy pitta bread included: delicious, and acting as your edible scoop.Committed carnivores will note that Hummus Bros is not a preachy, worthy, tie-dye, sandal- toting kinda place. The food isn’t about feeling noble it’s about feeling full, so chunky beef – a seasonal, slow cooked stew of tender meat – is one of the suggested toppings, and it’s truly melting. There is also chicken and that, along with guacamole, is the most popular of garnishes.
I am a collector of cookbooks so a 5,000-year old recipe was bound to grab my attention. Fava beans with slow-cooked free-range egg is a popular breakfast dish in Egypt. I had heard about it but here was my chance to try it. Anything that’s been on the menu for that long has evidently got something going for it. After one bowl I am hooked. It’s a must-try signature dish of smooth hummus and rich, soft beans with slices of tinted eggs, the addition of which turns a sustaining meal into a feast. I agree it might not sound a stunner, but it will likely turn you away from those golden arches.
Talking of fast food outlets… nothing wrong with them, the problem rests with us, the buying public. If we eat those burgers in moderation then we have nothing to fear. They provide a meal on the trot and we have all enjoyed them from time to time when those hunger pangs kick in and a Mcwendyking is all that’s handy. But we want to encourage our kids to adopt good eating habits, healthy foods that they will be keen to eat. Hummus Bros could take the place of burger bars and huts of pizza. Hummus is kid friendly. The texture is appealing to even the fussiest of toddlers. The standard dish of hummus with a helping of chickpeas is fun to eat, with no strong seasonings. Tiny fingers will grab the peas and little hands will dip the pitta. No crusts to chew so that’s yet another hurdle out of the way. This food isn’t dumbed down for children but you will find that they will love to eat just the same dishes as mum and dad; and mum and dad will love that the kids are eating! Good for most folks with allergies, as well.
Hummus Bros is keen to stress its eco-friendly philosophy but you won’t become a regular here for that reason. You’ll return for the food.
Hummus Bros
88 Wardour Street, Soho, London W1F 0TJ
Phone: 020 7734 1311
Victoria House, 37-63 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4DA
Phone: 020 7404 7079
128 Cheapside, London EC2V 6BT
Phone: 020 7726 8011
Email: info@hbros.co.uk
Visit Hummus Bros here
Restaurant review by Chrissie Walker © 2018