Hummus Hummus, Pure Thai and Di Tazza have moved to Orchards. Loyal customers will be happy to learn they can still get their old favorites. People who live or work in the area and are unfamiliar with these businesses are in for a treat.
12113 NE Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver; 360-932-5811; open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
I first met Elias Shashati at his Middle Eastern food truck Hummus Hummus when it was parked outside of Brothers Cascadia in Hazel Dell in 2018. Since then, Shashati has continued to share the food from his home country of Syria, including silky hummus and herb-marinated shawarma, with visitors to the Vancouver Farmers Market. In addition to that food truck, he recently opened a restaurant next to a gas station on Fourth Plain and Northeast 121st Avenue in Orchards. (Look for the bright flag that says falafel.) The menu includes a large selection of vegetarian dishes like falafel ($12) and dolma ($12), as well as grilled shawarma (chicken $12-$13 or lamb $16-$17) and gyro ($12-$16).
Golden light from the ornate fixtures dangling from the ceiling cast a warm glow on the pale yellow walls and line of tables. On a recent visit, service was a bit slow because Shashati is waiting for some kitchen equipment and permits so he is currently cooking in the food truck parked outside. He expects the kitchen to be ready for use by mid-June and encourages customers to visit at that time when he can get food out quicker.
7620 N.E. 119th Place, Vancouver; 360- 946-4927; open 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
Owners NaNa and Jeff Sisakvanich and Tony Penn have moved their popular Hazel Dell Thai restaurant to Orchards. They also sold their Hazel Dell Sharetea business.
“The restaurant is called Pure Thai because our food is real Thai food,” Jeff Sisakvanich said.
The owners and cooks are all Thai and many of the special ingredients are imported from Thailand to re-create the flavors served in their native country.
The team at Pure Thai keeps track of Thai food trends by scrolling through social media sites and making yearly trips to Thailand. The team just returned with some new menu ideas, particularly drinks and desserts.
Tom kha ramen, a traditional Thai soup served here with Japanese ramen noodles, represents the current interest in fusion dishes in Thailand. The menu also features ultimate pad thai ($18) with thick rice noodles and chili jam topped with cubes of crispy pork belly and shrimp, and moo ping ($13), marinated slices of pork grilled on skewers. A long vegan-only menu includes salads rolls ($8.50), papaya salad ($12), drunken noodles ($15) and yellow curry ($15).
13620 N.E. 84th St., Vancouver; 360-729-5067; open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Dana Carpenter spent years searching for a space that would fit a kitchen large enough to accommodate her growing bakery and cafe. She closed her cafe on 192nd and 20th Street in east Vancouver but still operates the drive-thru across the street.
The new Di Tazza sits near Subway in the Padden Marketplace at the corner of Northeast 84th Street and 137th Avenue. This doesn’t seem like the most welcoming or homey environment. Nonetheless, once you grab a table inside and sit down, the coziness of the new space sets in. Carpenter lined the walls with paintings of Italian landscapes along with a black-and-white photo of her father as a young man. These warm touches as well as her fresh, carefully prepared food give the place the feeling of a visit to the home of an old friend.
The menu includes 9 Bar coffee ($2.75), frosted cinnamon roll ($4.57), chocolate orange cupcake ($4.99), frittata with choice of biscuit or English muffin ($10.75) and breakfast sandwiches on fresh-baked English muffins ($7.50).
