There is nightly chaos at Hoomoos Asli, which diners are willing to endure, even enjoy, because of the owner's sparkling Israeli dishes and good cheer. "Please don't pronounce it humm-us," the menu... More

There is nightly chaos at Hoomoos Asli, which diners are willing to endure, even enjoy, because of the owner's sparkling Israeli dishes and good cheer. "Please don't pronounce it humm-us," the menu says. The "hoomoos" it calls asli is a Turkish word meaning "the real thing," and it is wonderful, simply a smooth chickpea purée with a lemony tang and a deep flavor, served with fresh puffy pita bread. The menu offers much more, including a selection of extremely fresh salads. Among the other dishes, try the mallawach, a Yemenite Jewish dish of flaky flatbread pan-fried until crisp on the bottom and topped with feta cheese, black olives, olive oil and zatar, a fragrant Middle Eastern spice.
Less