Mimi's Hummus 04-11-2010

Location: 1209 Cortelyou Road, Ditmas Park
Time: 11:30am
People: PMont, The Boss, RB and myself

Feelings: Everyone raves about Mimi's Hummus in Ditmas, so when PMont suggested to have brunch there and also offered he would pick us up in his car, I could not say yes with any more enthusiasm. Is anything better than hummus brunch on a Sunday afternoon with a ride?

Mimi's is an adorable little restaurant with open kitchen and is a quintessential Contelyou hip joint. First thing I noticed was how warm and friendly the staff was. They were attentive yet laid back, and I truly felt comfortable being there. Despite its posh ambiance and wooden decor, the clientele included everyone from young professionals, bohemians and standard locals. If I lived closer, I would probably visit every weekend for a little relaxing brunch and sip on their delicious freshly squeezed lemonade.

We shared some Tahini Hummus ($8) with whole wheat pita, Stuffed Grape Leaves ($6, with rice and veggies) homemade pickles and Israeli salad. I often find most hummus to be too oily and found myself with a bit of stomach issues later on, but this was more than perfect. It was smooth, fresh, and very flavorful without excessive salt. I realized this was a work of culinary art at its finest. I witnessed one older gentleman sitting alone quietly and really enjoying the hummus, as if he were eating his mother's old hummus recipe again. His expressive eyes conveyed everything he loved from the flavor of this hummus.

I ordered Shakshuka Eggs ($9.50, Moroccan style tomato stew with sunny side eggs), which was perhaps one of the best brunch dishes of my life. The tangy and slightly sweet tomato stew with well cooked eggs on top was to die for. I have always liked tomato omelets except for their tendency to be a little bland. This Shakshuka Eggs is the answer that I've been searching for! It is the much sexier version of tomato omelet. There is nothing bland about this dish, and I forgot where I was for about 10 minutes. The dish took over all my senses, and I had a really hard time concentrating on our conversation.

RB also thoroughly enjoyed his Shakshuka Margez ($11, with spicy lamb sausage), and he kept talking about the lamb sausage late into the night. The subtle heat of the sausage with the nice texture mixed extremely well with the Shaksuka dish.

After the brunch, we stopped next door at Mimi's Market and picked us up some delicious pickles we had at Mimi's Hummus. RB kept snacking on them as we got home, prompting me to wonder who exactly is the pregnant one here?