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Review: Habashi House

My friend Kaleb introduced us to a new place to eat called Habashi House, located in the City Market in Kansas City, Missouri. The place is amazing.

We always get the same thing, which is the lunch special consisting of a gyro accompanied by either rice, hummus, or salad. Coffee and hot tea are free. All this for $5 plus tax.

First, the gyros: they may look small, but they are so good and will fill you up quick. The regular gyro is packed with meat and cucumber sauce with just a few tomatoes and the softest flat-bread you ever had. The first time I was there I ordered the regular gyro, but received a chicken curry gyro by mistake. That was one of the best mistakes ever made: it was amazing. I likely never would have tried one, but I have ordered it since.

The rice is yellow-colored and quite good. Heather said is probably saffron rice, but I just have to take her word for it.

Before I mention the hummus, I have to tell you this: I don’t like hummus. Or at least I didn’t think I did. The only other time I had had it was at the Jerusalem Café, also in Kansas City, and I didn’t care for it at all. The hummus at Habashi House is amazing. It has some kind of oil in it, and some kind of spices ground up on top, and it is so smooth. And as Kaleb showed me, you can just dip your gyro in it when you run out of pita bread.

The lunch special comes with free coffee or hot tea. Though I love coffee like an art student likes to smoke, I don’t like it with a non-breakfast food meal, so I tried their tea. I don’t know what kind of tea it is, but it has a slight minty flavor to it, and it is the best hot tea I have ever had.

As I said you can also get a salad, but I didn’t care for that at all. No matter what side you order, you get a kalamata olive (watch out for the pit). I don’t like olives of any color or creed, so I give mine to Kaleb.

The place is clean, well-lit, and smells wonderful. They also have a grocery next door where you can buy all manner of dried fruits, spices, herbs, candies, and beverages at very reasonable prices. The Middle-Eastern lady who takes your order is always very nice. Parking is easy.

In short, an amazing meal for fast-food money, with a great atmosphere. Find ’em online at http://www.habashihouse.com, but even better just hop in the car and go there (check the hours first, of course).

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