Baba ganoush is made from roasted eggplant, but it tends to be creamy and beige. The “real baba’’ at Hummus and Pita (8039 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park) is a different beast altogether. It’s darker and chunkier, but it retains some of the purple fruit’s original form after being smoked, mashed and blended with pomegranate sauce, lemon, olive oil, walnuts and tomatoes. What’s different? “I made it,” says Dhiaa Eid, a Palestinian raised in Jordan who owns and operates this bustling Middle Eastern spot in the former Snack Shack. Gyros and shawarma are served up alongside an earthy and rich avocado shake, a specialty of Jordan, and chicken tikka that’s brightened with a creamy yellow sauce. Everything other than the pita is scratch-made, which Eid says is uncommon in American Middle Eastern restaurants. The flavors at Hummus and Pita are big and—judging by the early crowds—very much appreciated.
