December 16, 2011
If in need of assistance when procuring hummus while in the DMV: bankbryan: Last week we conducted the Hummus Xtreme Challenge 2011 Ultra. It was a double-blind taste test of hummus brands sold at Whole Foods and Harris Teeter locations in Washington, DC. To ensure a level playing field, we tasted only plain/original varieties. Pita chips and cucumber slices were furnished for the purpose of hummus-to-mouth conveyance. Your judges: @ahouseindc @bankbryan @mrturber @wattsonian (Bill) The results: The Farm at Red Hill (best) Sabra Asmar’s Tribe Harris Teeter Whole Foods Perfect Pita Cava Mezze (worst) Other awards: Least divisive: Tribe (ranked 3rd, 4th, 4th, 4th, 7th) Most divisive: Asmar’s (ranked 1st, 1st, 6th, 6th, 7th) Most unique palate: Jill Worst research technician: Bryan (for mislabeling samples during his phase of the brand obfuscation process, which necessitated much rework) [previously: Domestic Light Beer Xtreme Challenge II]

If in need of assistance when procuring hummus while in the DMV:

bankbryan:

Last week we conducted the Hummus Xtreme Challenge 2011 Ultra. It was a double-blind taste test of hummus brands sold at Whole Foods and Harris Teeter locations in Washington, DC. To ensure a level playing field, we tasted only plain/original varieties. Pita chips and cucumber slices were furnished for the purpose of hummus-to-mouth conveyance.

Your judges:

The results:

  1. The Farm at Red Hill (best)
  2. Sabra
  3. Asmar’s
  4. Tribe
  5. Harris Teeter
  6. Whole Foods
  7. Perfect Pita
  8. Cava Mezze (worst)

Other awards:

  • Least divisive: Tribe (ranked 3rd, 4th, 4th, 4th, 7th)
  • Most divisive: Asmar’s (ranked 1st, 1st, 6th, 6th, 7th)
  • Most unique palate: Jill
  • Worst research technician: Bryan (for mislabeling samples during his phase of the brand obfuscation process, which necessitated much rework)

[previously: Domestic Light Beer Xtreme Challenge II]

7:58am
(Notes: 3)
  
Filed under: Food Hummus Reblog middle eastern food 
October 10, 2011
Chicken Shawarma Hummus Plate at Sittoo’s in Parma, Ohio The wonderful Miss Truhan - as her first and second grade students call her - found out about this place because of her nearby summer job, and it’s because of her that I know about it at all. She hadn’t been there in a long time, and I had never been; so we made the short drive with the windows down in this amazing fall weather we’ve had recently. The food itself was awesome. Fresh, bright, bold - everything you’d want out of Middle Eastern food. The same family that started the chain of Aladdin’s has figured out a way to bring that same style of food in a cheaper form. Nothing on the menu tops $8, and all of the wraps (from Falaffel, to Kafta, to Shawarma) are under $5. The quality doesn’t suffer one bit, and definitely made me want to go back as soon as possible. You absolutely have to get the fries. And you have to dip them in hummus. It puts drive-thru fries dipped in ketchup to shame. 100% on Urbanspoon with more than 25 50 votes is also insane. Not sure I’ve ever seen that before. This place is just amazing.

Chicken Shawarma Hummus Plate at Sittoo’s in Parma, Ohio

The wonderful Miss Truhan - as her first and second grade students call her - found out about this place because of her nearby summer job, and it’s because of her that I know about it at all. She hadn’t been there in a long time, and I had never been; so we made the short drive with the windows down in this amazing fall weather we’ve had recently.

The food itself was awesome. Fresh, bright, bold - everything you’d want out of Middle Eastern food. The same family that started the chain of Aladdin’s has figured out a way to bring that same style of food in a cheaper form. Nothing on the menu tops $8, and all of the wraps (from Falaffel, to Kafta, to Shawarma) are under $5. The quality doesn’t suffer one bit, and definitely made me want to go back as soon as possible.

You absolutely have to get the fries. And you have to dip them in hummus. It puts drive-thru fries dipped in ketchup to shame.

100% on Urbanspoon with more than 25 50 votes is also insane. Not sure I’ve ever seen that before. This place is just amazing.

Sittoos on Urbanspoon

7:26pm
(Notes: 7)
  
Filed under: Food Chicken Hummus middle eastern food Out To Eat Parma Cleveland fries 
December 10, 2010
DC Food Tour in Georgetown; Washington, DC (Part II of III) Our third stop on the food tour (see the first two stops here) was Morso - A Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant on M Street. Having never had Turkish food before, I didn’t really no what to expect. But now that I know, I definitely want to go back. Our first plate held a cheese-stuffed pastry served with a chipotle mayo and a goat cheese stuffed date surrounded in air dried beef (called pastirma). Here’s a picture from Yelp of the dish. That stuffed date was probably my favorite bite of the entire day. The date practically melted in your mouth and the pastirma was amazing. It was like beef jerky taken to another level. Our second plate was a warm pita served with a roasted tomato hummus, this is what is picture above. Hummus is the one thing there that I actually previously knew about. I love the stuff. Some people can’t get over the texture, but I have no problem with it. When the farmer’s market is in town (or when I make a trip to the West Side Market), I always grab some hummus. It just so happens that tomato basil is my favorite flavor. Morso obviously did their research on me. From there we moved across the street to Dean & Deluca. It’s a food market that also has a large wine selection. We got to taste three cheeses (a blue cheese, a swiss style cheese, and a brie) while sampling a white wine. My family doesn’t drink that much wine (we make up for it in beer), so we learned some wine-related facts from the manager (Side note: It’s a good thing I’ve seen “Sideways” multiple times… otherwise I would have looked like a real idiot). We had a few minutes to look around the market; and that’s where I found this Iberico ham that is $99/pound. Iberico hams are large black-hoofed (Pata Negra) hogs from Spain and Portugal (Iberico = from the Iberian peninsula). According to our guide, they are fed only acorns for their adult life. And because of this, the meat has a nutty taste which is why some DC foodies are willing to put up $20 for a ham sandwich that they have to make at home. You learn something new every day…

DC Food Tour in Georgetown; Washington, DC (Part II of III)


Our third stop on the food tour (see the first two stops here) was Morso - A Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant on M Street. Having never had Turkish food before, I didn’t really no what to expect. But now that I know, I definitely want to go back.

Our first plate held a cheese-stuffed pastry served with a chipotle mayo and a goat cheese stuffed date surrounded in air dried beef (called pastirma). Here’s a picture from Yelp of the dish. That stuffed date was probably my favorite bite of the entire day. The date practically melted in your mouth and the pastirma was amazing. It was like beef jerky taken to another level.

Our second plate was a warm pita served with a roasted tomato hummus, this is what is picture above. Hummus is the one thing there that I actually previously knew about. I love the stuff. Some people can’t get over the texture, but I have no problem with it. When the farmer’s market is in town (or when I make a trip to the West Side Market), I always grab some hummus. It just so happens that tomato basil is my favorite flavor. Morso obviously did their research on me.

From there we moved across the street to Dean & Deluca. It’s a food market that also has a large wine selection. We got to taste three cheeses (a blue cheese, a swiss style cheese, and a brie) while sampling a white wine. My family doesn’t drink that much wine (we make up for it in beer), so we learned some wine-related facts from the manager (Side note: It’s a good thing I’ve seen “Sideways” multiple times… otherwise I would have looked like a real idiot).

We had a few minutes to look around the market; and that’s where I found this Iberico ham that is $99/pound. Iberico hams are large black-hoofed (Pata Negra) hogs from Spain and Portugal (Iberico = from the Iberian peninsula). According to our guide, they are fed only acorns for their adult life. And because of this, the meat has a nutty taste which is why some DC foodies are willing to put up $20 for a ham sandwich that they have to make at home. You learn something new every day…

4:09pm
(Notes: 2)
  
Filed under: food tour hummus out to eat washington dc food 
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