A warm bowl of bliss
Hamsa Hummus pops up at The UTE (and wins my heart); MoJoe's Cafe launches with local focus; a new brewery announced; openings of a commissary kitchen, food truck lot and more + news briefs galore
After eating last Saturday at the Hamsa Hummus popup at The UTE at City Rock I returned on Sunday. Not because my body was ready to climb at the gym beforehand again, but because I couldn’t stop thinking about (and telling others) how spectacular the hummus was. To be saccharine about it, it touched something in my soul, or DNA, or heart cockles or something.
My buddy Matt, who I took to lunch with me on Saturday, called me Sunday morning to say he was going back too. According to Hama Hummus owner Uri Yochelman, who I spoke to later in the week by phone, pretty much everyone who dined over the weekend came in on both days. So yeah, this hummus is culinary crack — you get hooked, fast. I’m not alone.
“I can’t tell you how fun it is for me,” says Yochelman. “It’s a passion project, very experimental right now,” referring to this proof-of-concept phase. “It gives me so much pleasure and satisfaction when people come back, saying ‘you ruined hummus for me.’” In other words, store-bought shit now tastes like cardboard by comparison. I can’t go back to it sans feelings of self-denial. (Which is what happened to me last month with Third Wave Chocolate Co. forever wrecking all commercial chocolates.) I was one of the people who told Yochelman that. But like I said, I’m not alone.
Yochelman, now a Realtor, is a former Israeli Air Force Captain. He grew up in Pardes Hanna-Karkur, a small town located along the Mediterranean coast halfway between Haifa and Tel Aviv. He came to the States 14 years ago to play recreational poker in Las Vegas. While there, he happened to meet his future wife, who brought him Colorado, where she now operates a dance studio. He’s hoping to expand hours and scale-up Hamsa “if all goes well,” but for now he’s testing the waters only between noon and 3 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at The Ute. (*Hamsa will not be open this Sunday, March 9, due to City Rock closure for staff training.)
“Hamsa,” by the way, is one way to say or signify “peace,” says Yochelman, who incorporated the sign in his pretty business logo. Hamsa in Muslim culture depicts an upside down “Hand of Fatima” used as an amulet against the superstitious evil eye. Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews also adopted the protective symbol, where it’s called the “Hand of Miriam,” and you can dive deep here if you wish to know loads more.
As for hummus’ significance in Israel, Yochelman says the ubiquitous item is typically consumed for lunch a couple times a week by Israelis. They don’t eat hummus as much like a side item as we’ve come to in the US; it’s more the main attraction, with toppings and pita bread for dipping. Hummus is one of the four most popular items in Israel, alongside falafel, shawarma and sabich (another wrap, with fried eggplant as its star component). Hummus spots are only open during lunch hours, he says, and at the most popular ones you won’t get a seat if you don’t queue up early.
Hummus service is all about freshness, he emphasizes, so places running out of product before regular closing hours is normal. That’s because chickpeas must soak for 24-36 hours before cooking and blending, so prep work is guess work as to restaurant volume on subsequent days. You don’t want to make too much and have to toss product, because the best places don’t serve even hours-old hummus. “It’s made-to-order,” says Yochelman. “I would never re-warm hummus and serve it. I asked another Israeli friend how long he’ll hold hummus, and like me, he said he throws it out after 10 to 12 minutes. It’s so special when it’s warm.” (On that note, he advises to come closer to noon or 1 p.m., because he may run out before 3 p.m. With a fledgling popup, it’s especially difficult to discern demand at this point.)
For his hummus, Yochelman imports spices from Israel, utilizes “a very high-end tahini,” and procures thick, puffy, Israeli-style pita though an Israeli company in Vegas. Preparing it to-order involves transferring ladles of simmering chickpeas from a stockpot into a blender with the other measured ingredients for seasoning; no other cooking is involved. It doesn’t arrive to the table hot, but pleasingly warm. He says takeaway will hold optimally for around an hour. Of course he’d have you eat it ASAP, and if you do store it in your fridge, he advises squeezing lemon juice over it to prevent oxidation, and eating the rest (cold) within a day. Not that it will spoil, it’s just not up to his standards. Hummus takeaway culture in Israel is huge, he adds, and he would be happy to balance his in-house business 50-50 with to-go orders, which could help him scale sooner and increase daily prep quantities as business grows.
On the first day we ate at Hamsa, Matt and I both hovered over our bowls and reverently devoured the food. When we came up for air, we laughed about how we were basically ignoring each other’s company as we disappeared into the hummus, spiked with cumin, paprika and za'atar, and garnished with extra olive oil. We’d both added a boiled egg on top, a wise move for added richness and post-exercise sustenance. We also get the Mediterranean salad bowl, the only other main item on Hamsa Hummus’ menu for now. For it, Yochelman hand-dices cucumbers, tomatoes and red onions in small batches throughout the day, flavoring it with mint and lemon. It eats light, fresh and juicy — a simple delight. (Order the Hamsa Combo to get the hummus with pita and salad plus a sparkling water, soda or lemonade, for $17. That’s fair considering the obsessive craft approach and quality ingredients.)
My last question for Yochelman during our chat is about his particular hummus style. He says if you ask 50 Israelis what the best hummus recipe is, you’ll get about just as many varied answers. “They’re all made a little differently,” he says, noting cold renditions, more tahini-prominent versions and brightly lemony ones (more Arabic in style, he says). But his is inspired by his favorite hummus haunt near his house growing up: a place called Blue Bus Hummus, which happens to be on this tourist top list I find online. “It started over 30 years ago and we used to eat inside an old blue bus,” he fondly recalls. “Now it’s a proper sit-down restaurant. Their hummus is more of an Argentinian take, less lemony than Arabic, thicker and more balanced between the chickpea and tahini. And warm. That’s my inspiration. I’m trying to perfect getting as close to it as possible.”
Pork on a pupusa
My guest recipe collaboration this month with Ranch Foods Direct comes from Chef/Owner Monse Hines of Monse’s Taste of El Salvador and Saigon Cafe. “Pupusas are a traditional Salvadoran favorite,” she says. “At Monse’s, we cook from scratch with high-quality ingredients. For this recipe we use organic corn masa for the base and Ranch Foods Direct boneless pork shoulder for the carnitas.” Visit the recipe to get your grocery list and hit up either of Ranch Foods Direct’s local retail markets for necessary supplies. Remember to mention you’re a Side Dish subscriber for 5% off your whole shopping basket. (And thank them for sponsoring local food journalism.)
Find your MoJoe
MoJoe’s Cafe grand opens this weekend (March 8 and 9, with 25% off all drinks) at 201 E. Kiowa St., across from City Hall and below the Hyatt Place hotel. The space was originally occupied by Fat Bee Cafe to become a second location — much of the current decor was designed by them, showing just how late in the game the plug was pulled — but Fat Bee recently went out of business at its original 3230 Centennial Blvd. location (reportedly due to an eviction) and has gone dark overall.
The Morris family, most notably mom and pop Sommer and Joe, but also their adult children and their significant others, are behind MoJoe’s. That name was Joe’s nickname when he was stationed at Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, doing computer programming work while in the Air Force. He maintains an IT business today, but the family decided they wanted to take their first shot at running a restaurant.
Joe says their goal is “small and local” with their selections as much as possible. They’re buying coffee from Hold Fast, pastries and breads from Delicias Bakery, Colorado-made Bonfire Burritos, Sasquatch Cookies, Patter whole food bars, Dram sparkling waters and Big B’s juices. They’ll make their own toasted sandwiches in-house with Boar’s Head meats and will slowly expand the menu to include breakfast sandwiches and lunch burritos. The opening menu by contrast is currently split into breakfast burritos and lunch sandwiches, but Joe says breakfast items will be served all day. Initial planned hours will be 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., daily.
Weekly, up to 2,500 additional people who aren’t subscribers read Side Dish. (Awesome.) But why not receive it directly in your inbox for FREE? It’s this easy 👇
Constellation (Brewing) on the horizon
My Tap&Table cohost and Focus on the Beer personality Ryan Hannigan interviewed Jeff and Kristin Lockhart about their plans to open Constellation Brewing later this year. This six-minute video outlines their vision and gives a little background, as does the bio information on their GoFundMe that’s now underway. In brief, Jeff has won two World Beer Cup Bronze medals and one GABF Gold medal at past postings as a brewer. Those include work spots ranging from Ouray and Red Leg breweries to Atlanta’s Sweetwater and Pikes Peak Brewing (his current brewing job). Toss a few bucks their way to show them some support if you like what you hear here.
Bites & Bits
• Pikes Peak United Way has opened a new commissary kitchen at their Family Success Center at 1520 Verde Drive on the Southeast side of town. Commissary kitchen manager Russ Erbe — also known for RK Prime Craft Sausage — posted on his Facebook page to explain: “The Family Success center is in an old elementary school that the city lets the United Way use. It is an amazing place that does so much for the people in our city that need help. I was approached by them to turn the vacant kitchen in the building into something that the community could use and something that could also put money back into the United Way for them to turn right back around and sink more money into what they do for the people of Colorado Springs.”
• A press release went out this week from Norwood Development Group announcing the launch on March 15 (actually March 14, soft) of “the first dedicated food truck lot in Colorado Springs” on The Lot at Meanwhile Block. Some local media outlets (including Fox21) parroted those words directly, without a fact-check. I would link back to my own reporting in the CS Indy about the true first food truck lot locally many years ago, but their archives remain dead. Thankfully, local Redditors hopped on the task of jogging the collective memory, with one succinctly pointing out: “The defunct gas station at the corner of Platte and Nevada use to have food trucks 10+yrs ago. Strange to call this the first?” Anyhoo, all that just amused me, but back to the heart of the matter: the release specifies that “The Lot will feature a rotating selection of Colorado Springs’ best food trucks, providing a variety of flavors and options throughout the season. To start, food trucks will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays with lunch service from 11AM – 3PM and dinner service from 4PM– 8PM, with plans to expand as the season progresses.”
• Springs Magazine wrote earlier this week about the latest enterprise to take on the former Nomads/Colorful Colorado/The Garden space at 401 S. Nevada Ave. Shivers Taphouse bills itself as “an 18 tap bar with an appetizer menu.” The menu lists “the best local beers on tap” but really Bristol Brewing’s Laughing Lab is the only Springs handle, as the others are more Denver and beyond, including commercial domestics and common imports. Chef Rob’s Soul Food and Seafood Truck will operate as the house food truck, adjacent to the expansive, west-facing patio. The outfit is hosting a Saint Patrick’s Weekend Grand Opening party starting at noon on March 15. Click into the article to read more details. (Like, I didn’t even mention the yeti.)
• theivywilder made a case this week for dining at “Ivywild institution” The Point: “24 years ago it was the only place to get a beer after 9 p.m. The food is actually really good. Dare say their hand-cut French fries are some of the best in town and their burgers are hand pressed patties, not cheap prepackaged junk. Fridays they do fish tacos and fish n chips you could put up against anywhere in town. And all for a reasonable price.”
• hotchiccoldbeer captured a bit of Women’s Brew Day earlier this week at Cerberus Brewing Co. This year’s release will be a Golden Strong Ale.
• Last week, several Denver media outlets, including 9News and Westword, reported on the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand-winning Denver restaurant AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q after it suddenly closed on Feb. 28. Reportedly staff shut down the eatery themselves while the owner is away in Mexico (where two other locations reside), citing a discrepancy in their paychecks and tax reporting to the government, leaving some on the hook for back-taxes owed. While AJ’s website remains up, the Facebook and Instagram pages linked to on it are both dead and Google now lists it as permanently closed. AJ’s owner just last month closed a trio of other Colorado eateries. The 9News article quotes one of AJ’s pitmasters as saying “We're gonna go do it somewhere else and win another [Michelin award],” referring to unity amongst former staff who have indicated they wish to open their own spot now.
• In other less than cheerful Denver food news reporting last week, Denver7 asked “Why are so many Denver restaurants going belly up or moving out of the city?” As part of the answer, the article cited Colorado Restaurant Association data showing that 51% of diners ate out less in 2024. Then there’s the factor of the minimum wage increase (that I recently reported on here), and apparently “Denver's lengthy and costly licensing process.” (A spokesperson for the The Department of Excise and Licenses pushed back against that.) The article also touches on recent proposed state-level legislation (the “Restaurant Relief Act”) aimed at adjusting tip credits (which I reported on here).
• And lastly in Denver this week, New Denizen (Laura) published a New Restaurant Cheat Sheet: Jan/Feb 2025 on her Substack page. It includes “10 new restaurants you should know about” — showing that even in the face of the challenges listed in the above blurb, more spots are braving the industry — as well as “5 links to made me laugh, cry, or say waahht?” (which includes one about Michelin “struggling to maintain its relevance.”
Side Dish Dozen happenings
*Starting now, we’re splitting these listings in half between our members weekly to shorten your scroll and hopefully, with brevity, put more focus on their worthwhile events.
Red Gravy: Limited seats remain for our March 9 Sunday Supper Club. This month’s drink-paired, Cajun/Creole Mardi Gras menu features items like chicken & andouille gumbo, blackened red fish and Bananas Foster.
Bristol Brewing Company: Our new World Peace Death Ray West Coast IPA is super aromatic and hoppy, with hints of pine, citrus and dank pineapple. Find it on tap around town, in the pub and as the current rotator in our brand spankin’ new IPA Mix 12-pack. Also, grab your tix for Comedy Night on March 15, a Karma on Tap event in the Barrel Room benefitting Safe Place For Pets.
Hammond’s Pastrami & Smoked Delicatessen: Tallow Be Thy Name. (We never fry in seed oils.) All our meats — pastrami, roast beef, turkey, chicken and brisket — are slow-smoked by us daily and sliced to order. Get them to-go or hit us up for catering. Check out our dine-in menu here.
Rasta Pasta: Kids love us, and eat FREE every Monday. Make your littles extra happy with our Rasta Sunday:
Ascent Beverage: We distributing regionally made brands like 1874 Distilling, Apple Valley Cider, Jackson Hole Stillworks and Backwards Distilling. Ask for our excellent products at your favorite bar or fine liquor store.
Four by Brother Luck: Yes, we have happy hours: 3-5 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays.
T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Our $11.99 lunch special gets you chips & salsa, two tacos, rice, beans and a fountain drink; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Taco Tuesdays feature $3.50 tacos all day and $5 Margaritas and Swirls.
Upcoming events
March 7: Manitou Brewing Company’s 11-year Anniversary Party. $5 pints, throwback menu items, raffles and more.
March 8: Small Brew Saturdays launch at Local Relic Artisan Ales, from noon-4 p.m., weekly; with drinks and small bites available for purchase.
March 16: ACF Culinary Passport 2025 at the Broadmoor’s Cheyenne Lodge. Proceeds benefiting the Springs Rescue Mission and its Culinary Training Program.
March 30: 2nd annual Rooftop Invitational cocktail competition at Lumen8 Rooftop Social. Eight teams, seven rounds, one winner takes all.
Early ticket notices: SoCo Collab Frost Fest at Bear Creek Regional Park (May 10); Tacos and Tequila Festival at UCHealth Park (May 31); 719 Battle of the Food Trucks (June 1); Taste of Pikes Peak (July 17).
Parting shot(s)
Wine Festival of Colorado Springs broke records for both attendance (with all events selling out) and fundraising last week at its 33rd annual event. (See my recent interview with the organizers here for more on the festival’s history and intent.)
I had a blast at the three events I was able to attend during the long weekend: Cocktails & ICONS at the wonderful downtown gay bar; the Winemaker Luncheon at the Warehouse (my favorite annual event) and the Grand Tasting at the Broadmoor. Here’s just some of my snapshots (or pics I was in) to illustrate the action:
Shoutouts to businesses and organizations represented above: Downtown Colorado Springs, Edelweiss, Provision Bread and Third Wave Chocolate Co., T-Byrd’s/District Elleven, Paragon Culinary School, Chef’s Roots Cafe, The Warehouse, Ascent Restaurant Group, Picnic Basket Catering, Prime 25 and Rasta Pasta.