Consider this glowing endorsement of Hummus, Ardmore’s new Middle Eastern cafeteria: On a blustery December night, a patron was heard raving, “This is just great. Thank you so much for being here.”
It wasn’t clear why she was so grateful for Hummus’ arrival. Maybe she appreciated its existence as a rare Main Line destination for Israeli food, or that almost everything was prepared in-house. Or perhaps she already knew it was an outpost of the popular West Philadelphia eatery of the same name.
My enthusiasm almost rivaled hers as I bit into a pile of robust beets, their naturally sweet taste highlighted by a light dusting of cumin and olive oil. My ground beef kebab was hearty and mildly spiced in a way that left a lingering, pleasant hum on the tongue. The carrot-disc salad struck a somewhat dissonant chord, though its cumin-and-garlic vinaigrette was yummy.
A can of Israeli peach juice paired nicely with warm, spongy pita and the small mountain of Hummus’ eponymous dish, which also accompanies the generous platters. The texture of the chickpea paste was smooth and gentle enough to reassure the most timid neophyte—and it helped me forget about my white rice, which arrived cold.
The best that’s ever passed my lips, the baklava was several inches tall and portioned to share. But with its densely packed layers of crunchy nuts and sugary honey separated by flaky phyllo, it never stood a chance of being consumed by anyone other than me. It left me grinning and gushing, “This is just great. I’m so glad you’re here.”
44 Greenfield Ave., Ardmore, (610) 645-9500.