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Let yourself travel into another dimension, surrender to the soothing tunes of classic oriental music, open your eyes and enjoy the beautiful decor. Ummi is a Lebanese restaurant, but not like any other; a classy eatery with a touch of style, Luxury and finesse while being simple and relaxing. Ummi is where great food is served imagined by the one and only Chef Hussein Hadid. I’ve been here in 2017 and now back for some tasty bites.
Walls painted in black, golden colored pans, the photo of Fayrouz posted on the wall over an open kitchen, dimmed lights, wooden tables, and black leather chairs. I love the ambiance, the fresh vibes, the positive mood, and classy decor. Paper placemats, colorful plates, and unique glasses make you feel at home.
At Ummi I feel good and relaxed; the service is professional, and the food is great!
Dinner starts when a bottle of water is opened, a basket of bread lands on the table followed by a bowl of vegetables. Crisp vegetables of which a selection of radish, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, and black olives.
OMG... this food is surreal! One of the country’s best hummus is served with a topping of fried cauliflower and spicy chili oil. A creamy and balanced hummus topped with juicy “arnabeet” and a touch of spiciness. Hummus with pines and minced meat is also wonderful. Try the Labneh, as simple as a Labneh can be, Ummi’s white gold is sprinkled with Nigella sativa for a change. Order the cauliflower and tarator sauce, a mountain of it; the same juicy cauliflower served warm with a drizzle of tarator on top. Food is excellent...
Don’t leave without trying the fire-grilled molten cheese fingers. Kebbeh sajiyeh with hints of sweetness and a strong kick of spiciness. Borghol with Banadoora; it’s even better than the one my grandma used to cook. The Angus beef grill... left me speechless; so juicy, so tasty, so strongly flavorful. Order the spicy potato cubes without garlic and enjoy their crunchiness and subtle spiciness... food is so good!
More meat, more hummus, more cheese, more Labneh... I couldn’t stop! In life we do have chances to enjoy good food... and sometimes unexpectedly delicious things pop-up that is hard to describe.
More was yet to come: ever tried spinach and Laban Fatteh? You have to. The roast chicken -not marinated in garlic- and covered with a spicy red sauce is to die for. The tabbouleh cut so small and mixed with pomegranate and lemon zest is like none you’ve tried before.
When Lebanese food is taken to a gourmet level, when the flavors of our ancestors are upgraded to Michelin Star quality, when our traditional culinary know-how is upgraded to impress... enjoy your meal at Ummi.
As they say, a meal is not complete without a mouthwatering dessert. We were offered dessert, one plate of each, mouhallabiyah, Meghle, Ummi mochis, halawat el Jeben, and karabeej. A mini version of Chidiac’s karabeej are enjoyed like peanuts, the Japanese Mochi “a la libanaise” made of mafroukeh and ice cream, halawat el Jeben with rose sugar-syrup, a classy mouhallabiyah, and a smooth meghle. If food is good, desserts are even better; I loved the class, the simplicity and the balance of each ingredient.
Chef!, thank you for these amazing creations, know that you made one’s day memorable! I’m in love with Ummi’s food.
