Oren's Hummus--Palo Alto, CA (Israeli cuisine)

There are certain staples for certain ethnic cuisines. Rice for Asia, potatoes for the UK, seafood for Scandinavia. To have an entire menu built around hummus, sounds like a place I'd like to eat. This is also not the typical, inexpensive, grainy hummus from the fridge section of mass-chain supermarkets that we, as Americans, have grown accustomed to. This is smooth, authentic, Israeli hummus, and the foods that accompany it.

I'm typically skeptical of chains. From my past experience, quality tends to go down when the number of locations go up. This chain, (the location I visited: 261 University Avenue) however, has been consistent and delicious and quickly serves high-quality food from several restaurant and mobile locations around the Bay Area.

To help manage your expectations, I would consider this a high-quality fast-casual type of establishment, where most items are prepared at a central kitchen and delivered throughout their locations each day.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

https://orenshummus.com/



Cabbage Salad. To call this a simple "slaw" would be a disservice. It has that wilt and crunch that is only achieved when the cabbage is pre-salted and drained of some of its water. The vinegar and oil it's dressed in, is perfectly balanced, with just the right amount of tang and sweetness. This was also brought to our table as a complementary side dish or appetizer and acted as a great palate cleanser and condiment for our food.

Bourekas. Three different stuffings inside the same flaky phyllo dough with three different shapes. The mushroom triangle (center) was savory with chunks of sauteed mushrooms. The cheese turnover shape (right) was salty and rich, with just the right cheese to dough ratio. The potato rectangle (left) had a mild mash potato consistency. All were delicious and worthy of ordering another round to go for snacking.

Hummus Lamb. Pomegranate braised lamb filled this nest of smooth and creamy hummus. It was served with two pitas, your choice of white or wheat and topped with an aromatic sprinkle of fresh mint. The lamb was tender and juicy. This could have been a meal on its own.

Pita. These were two hearty pitas that came with our hummus. They were room temperature, but still tasted fresh, as if cooked in the morning. They did a great job sopping up hummus and any other sauces that required sopping.

Pita Falafel. This whole wheat pita was hefty enough to contain the generous portion of ingredients. The falafel were crisp on the outside and soft and fragrant with herbs on the inside. The hummus, tahini and fresh vegetables added a nice flavor and textural contrast. A very good sandwich.

I will happily visit any of these locations if in need of some good quality, "fast" food. Some of their locations also deliver, so convenience is a great factor as well.