Hummus is made from cooked and mashed garbanzo beans (chickpeas) blended with tahini (a condiment made from ground hulled sesame), olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. It is rooted in the traditional cuisine of Levant, the area that covers the large stretch of land in the eastern Mediterranean which includes modern-day Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Syria and surrounding states.
In line with its promise of bringing “flavors of the sun” to its diners’ tables, The Cafe Mediterranean features a seasonal menu of hummus bowls that do bring to mind pictures of rich harvests, the bright blue sea and the hot Mediterrenean sun.
If you find yourself at a #CafeMed branch, do get a #HummusBowl for yourself or your gang. Here are three reasons why.
One: These are very nutritious.
Owing to hummus’ main ingredient, chickpeas, it provides a good amount of dietary fiber, protein, B vitamin, manganese and other nutrients. This makes it a wonderful addition to any modern diet geared towards health and proper nutrition.
Two: Their toppings not just ups hummus’ nutrition game, they also significantly add to the flavor.
Hummus actually is very versatile. Aside from its use as a dip for breads or raw onion wedges, it also serves as an ingredient for soups, hot stews and sauces.
Taking advantage of this versatility, The Cafe Mediterranean offers eight varieties of hummus bowls, made with the freshest ingredients daily, to suit your craving or to add to your already flavorful meal. There are meat and no-meat options, so whatever your diet is, there is a hummus bowl for you.
Take your pick from among these tasty variants.
With cherry tomatoes cooked with garlic and extra virgin olive oil (Php275)
With roasted red bell peppers, black olives and feta cheese (Php325)
With roasted broccoli and cauliflower (Php395)
With grilled eggplant and tomato sauce (Php300)
With mushroom and caramelized onions (Php350)
With grilled chicken (Php375)
With grilled beef (Php395)
With grilled lamb (Php435)
Each of these bowls come with two pieces of warm pita bread that you can tear apart with your hands and dip into the hummus.
Three: Getting a hummus bowl (or more) contributes to the welfare of victims of armed conflict.
The Cafe Mediterranean has collaborated with UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, to generate support and donations to the Syrians displaced by the Syrian War. Customers can rest assured that all proceeds from the sales of these bowls are coursed directly through the UNHCR to help the Syrian refugees.
So head on out to the nearest branch of The Cafe Mediterranean and get a big bowl of hummus for yourself and your friends!
The Cafe Mediterranean branches in the metro are located at:
- Lower Ground Floor, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City
- Basement 1, Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Oranbo, Pasig City
- Fifth Floor, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
- Third Floor, One Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
- Level 1, Greenbelt 1, Ayala Center, Greenbelt, Makati City
- Ground Floor, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
- Second Floor, Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I was invited to attend a food-tasting held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees including myself.
Jellybeans in the City 