Three Clark County restaurants stand out as offering the best of the dip
By Rachel Pinsky for The Columbian
Published: March 17, 2017, 6:05am
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Petra House (Photos by Rachel Pinsky)Photo Gallery
This Hummus Challenge is not inspired by the ice bucket challenge and doesn’t entail rubbing hummus on my face to make a political statement or to raise money for the Israeli soldiers (this is a real thing; Google it). I simply went to some randomly selected places in Clark County and sampled their hummus with my friend Monika, in search of the ultimate hummus plate.
Hummus (a dip made of chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic) has caused endless debate and controversy. It has inspired a blog (www.hummus101.com). Some claim it may be the key to peace in the Middle East (see Make Hummus Not War). When I hear the word hummus, I think of The Zohan. But I am not here to delve into any heavy political issues or to make random pop culture references (well, maybe the occasional pop culture reference). My job is to tell you what I ate in an informative and entertaining manner. So here it goes.
• Petra House:
The hummus plate at Petra House is classic Middle-Eastern hummus served in a classic Middle-Eastern setting.
We chose a seat in the traditional alcoves with low slung tables, low padded benches, and cushions on the floor. After we sat down, the waitress came out with a large silver vessel filled with warm rose water and washed our hands.
Then came the hummus; it was smooth and creamy and had a strong, nutty, sesame flavor from the tahini and softer notes of lemon and garlic. It was accompanied with round pillowy disks of pita bread fresh from the oven that warmed our hands as we pulled them apart and swirled them in the rich hummus.
• Hopworks Urban Brewery:
This hummus plate came to the table as a rainbow of bright colors. As we sampled our way around the plate, we found it to be a luscious mix of textures and flavors.
The hummus was very garlic forward and had a creamy, pulsed consistency enhanced with a topping of fresh, herby, chopped scallions and fiery smoked paprika. The tomatoes and carrots were fresh. The kalamata olives and the artichoke hearts were briny and luscious.
But the feta cheese really took the whole plate to the next level. The feta cheese was rich and crumbly, creamy and tangy — it was extraordinary.
I highly recommend pairing the hummus plate with a pint of HUB’s Organic IPX Single Hop Ale, which is mixed into the hummus.
• Ben’s Bottle Shop:
Ben’s was the last stop on this hummus tour. At this point, I didn’t think I could eat any more hummus. I felt that if you cut me, tahini specked with garlic and lemon would pour from my veins. I had hit the hummus wall.
Then the hummus plate appeared. The hummus was a round ball of chunky chickpea dip topped with a twisted slice of fresh lemon that looked like a bow tie worn by a character in the game Candy Land. I dipped my fork into the hummus ball and tasted chickpeas swirled with beads of garlic and squirts of fresh lemon juice.
This hummus came with warm, oniony pita wedges, fresh cucumber and tomato, pickled pepperoncini, and Ben’s crisp vinegary housemade pickled carrots and bright yellow pickled cauliflower. The crisp vinegary pickles and the creamy, judiciously flavored hummus were a revelation.
Petra House
1900 N.E. 162nd Ave., Suite D-106, Vancouver. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 360-718-7182, www.petrahousewa.com
Hopworks Urban Brewery
17707 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. 360-828-5139, www.hopworksbeer.com
Ben’s Bottle Shop
8052 E. Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. 360-314-6209, www.bensbottleshop.com
And the winner is …
Petra House, HUB and Ben’s Bottle Shop all offered great hummus plates, and they are all great in their own way. If I had to pick a favorite, I would pick the plate at Ben’s Bottle Shop. I am a pickle freak, and the housemade pickles at Ben’s are worthy of obsession. But I highly recommend the hummus plates at HUB and Petra House depending on your mood and your desire for locally brewed beer.
Rachel Pinsky can be reached by email at foodcouverusa@gmail.com and follow her via @foodcouverusa1 on Twitter and @foodcouverusa on Instagram.
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