Yum Yum

You could miss the sign that reads “Yum Yum-Ethnic Cuisine” hanging on the front of the restaurant, but you’d be sorry that you did.

Yum Yum, 4125 S. Howell Ave., is a Middle Eastern restaurant that opened in September in the old Boy Blue Ice Cream building, half a block south of Avenue Liquor. Until a few months ago, it was Sahara Café, and you can spot the small building by looking for the yellow Sahara sign, still on the roof.

Orders are placed at the window in the shallow “lobby,” as my friend Larry called it, or as I dubbed it, the front porch. We had been warned we might have to wait for our food, and wait we did. But we didn’t care because we while we waited, we were offered cups of wonderful pureed lentil soup laced with a little bite that was probably produced by chili pepper. The co-owner and chef, Tarek Fleifel, told us he originally made his lentil soup mild, but his customers asked for more spice so he accommodated.

While we waited for our order, we sat in “the front porch” on padded deck furniture and ate our creamy lentil soup from little side tables. Fleifel wanted us to taste Yum Yum falafel and gave us each a sample. This falafel was about the best I have ever eaten. The exterior possessed a nicely browned crust and the chickpea puree inside was moist and flavorful. (A falafel sandwich is $2.99.) A friend joined us, and we sat happily munching and slurping while our order was prepared.

I learned that the owners met and married in their homeland Lebanon. Mrs. (Ola) Fleifel, her husband told us, had only “three years of childhood” before the outbreak of 16 years of civil war. They didn’t want that for their children, so they moved to Kuwait in 1984, where Fleifel mixed chemicals used to clean oil field pipelines. They emigrated to the United States in 1994. “I used to mix chemicals,” he said. “Now I mix food.”

We ordered an appetizer called fuul ($2.99) and ate out on the porch while our entrees were being prepared. Fuul is mashed fava bean dip served warm with pita bread. The perimeter of the fuul is drizzled with Yum Yum’s bright, green olive oil. I could wax poetic about that olive oil. Stating that it is a virgin olive oil doesn’t even begin to relate how good it is, but know that it is up there with olive oil I have tasted in Italy, fresh from the local olive grove. Though part of the menu’s appetizer section, fuul could easily serve as a vegetarian entrée.

We took home their tabouli ($4.49) and three entrees: Chicken Shish Kabob, served browned and richly seasoned ($7.49); Chicken Teka Half, a small half-chicken marinated in its own dressing and grilled ($7.49); and broiled tilapia ($6.49) that had been marinated in fresh lemon and then covered with Fleifel’s sauce, which included onions and green peppers. The sauce was exactly right for the fish since tilapia by itself has little flavor. It added plenty of flavor and a little kick.

The tabouli was the freshest I have ever eaten, made with more parsley than bulgur and deliciously tangy with fresh lemon juice. The sides that came with the entrees included a very good turmeric spiced-rice, humus, and baba ganoush with a dollop of green hot sauce (dakka) made from olive oil and minced jalapeño, which you can scoop off, if you don’t like heat. Both humus and baba ganoush were also very good.

We were sorry we had no room for dessert. Next time we want to try the baklava or kunafa, a pastry topped with sweet cheese and served with sugar syrup and pistachios.

Beverages include coffee (Turkish and regular), a pot of tea, and soft drinks. And seasonally, if you are 18 or older, you might like to indulge in their hookah, which they will set up on the patio.

Yum Yum is definitely fine, fresh, and very affordable. And soon a daily special will be added to their offerings.

There is an outdoor patio on the north side of the building that is fine in warm weather, but for now, Yum Yum is just take-out. Free delivery will soon be available with a minimum $10 order. You may also call in your order, and if you wish, arrange to have it delivered to your car.

More Information

• Tarek and Ola Fleifel
  4125 S. Howell Ave.
• Mon.-Thurs. 10am-9pm; Fri. & Sat. 10am-11pm; closed Sunday
• (414) 489-7200
• 25 menu items; 8-10 vegan and/or vegetarian, 3 dessert
• No children’s menu
• Coffee, tea, soft drinks
• Take-out or delivery only

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