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A couple of months ago, my favorite morning television show, Good Day Sacramento, aired a feature on Extreme Hummus during their "Dishin' With Tina" portion of the show, which features a different area restaurant every week. Needless to say, I was impressed, and added Extreme Hummus to my things-to-do list.  It all worked out, as Wednesday, February 25, 2016, I was able to pay a visit to this extremely wonderful restaurant, and I'm glad I did...

Photo:  Extreme Hummus is located in Citrus Heights, not far from Interstate 80, which makes the restaurant a convenient stop for lunch or dinner if you're on your way to Reno.  It's located in a building which was once a Mexican fast-food restaurant, and features a drive-through window, and outside, patio seating.  The restaurant has been in business since October, 2014.

Photo:  As you walk in the door, the order counter is to the right, and the small dining room is to your right.  You make your selection from the menu boards placed above and around the counter, make your selection, pay for it, and take a seat, either in the comfortable dining room, or outside on the patio.  When your order is ready, a friendly staff member will bring it to your table.  Extreme Hummus features a nice cross between a fast-food, and a sit-down restaurant.  Tips don't seem to be a factor, as I didn't even see a tip jar.  The drive-through window is seen in the middle of the photo, as it lets in lots of sunlight, on the spring-like day in late February.

The menu features a vast array of flavorful and healthy Mediterranean cuisine.  It includes plates, gyros, wraps, sandwiches, salads, hummus, dips, sides, desserts, and beverages.  The sandwich menu even includes the restaurant's version of a cheeseburger!  No alcohol is served.

If you're unfamiliar with the cuisine of the Mediterranean region, you may find the many selections on the menu a bit overwhelming - you could always stick with a cheeseburger and fries - but the staff is friendly, patient, and will be more than happy to answer any questions.  I'd suggest you check out their web site, as it's very easy to navigate, and explains every menu selection.  Their URL is listed at the end of this article.

Photo:  The dining room is quite compact, but it's squeaky clean, comfortable, and lit by lots of natural lighting the floor-to-ceiling windows let in.  The table in the center rear of the photo holds trays of prepared food, for an office party.  When the gentleman who ordered the food arrived, two staff members carried out the trays of food to his van.  He must have been throwing quite a party!

It's 11 o'clock in the morning on Thursday, February 25, 2016; the restaurant has just opened, and the gentleman in the photo was the only other diner.  When I plan to take photos, and chat with staff, I prefer to visit when the pace is slow, so has more time to chit-chat with the staff, and not to potentially annoy other diners.

Photo:  Co-owner of the restaurant, Frank, brings my order to my table.  I ordered a "Beef and Gyro Plate," but he included a complimentary basket of "Greek Fries," for me to enjoy.  I'll explain in detail at the end of the article my take on this delicious lunch...

Today, Frank was the order taker, and as I placed my order, I gave him one of my business cards and explained to him my mission:  To take photos, chat with staff, and finally post an article on this web site, and my Facebook page.  He agreed to with a smile, and thanked me for the free exposure.  As a gesture of friendship, he brought me the basket of "Greek Fries," and I thanked him profusely.

Photo:  Meet the friendly staff, and the owners of Extreme Hummus, as they take a tea break, before the lunch crowd arrives.  They had been at work early, to prepare the large order for the office party, and to get things going for today.  From left to right, Frank, his wife Shanaz, and her brother Said.  Frank and Shanaz's daughter was busy in the kitchen, so I didn't get a chance to meet her.  The restaurant is family owned and operated, and a unique, one-of-a-kind operation, in the greater Sacramento area.

These folks are as friendly as it gets!  They welcomed me to their restaurant, and treated my like family.  They refer to their customers as "our wonderful diners."  When you work with people as gracious as this family is, it's a joy and a pleasure to write-up an article like this.  No wonder Extreme Hummus has a perfect 5-star rating on Yelp!

Photo:  Smile, Eric... smile!  You've just been served one of the best lunches west of the Mediterranean region and you're not smiling?  One of the rare photos when I'm not smiling, as I prepare for today's feast.  I'm not big on soft drinks, and I rarely drink tea, so a complementary glass of ice water quenched my thirst.  All about the delicious meal in the next photo...

Photo:  I ordered a "Beef and Lamb Gyro Plate," from the "Plates" section of the menu.  I felt that as long as I was going to enjoy a Mediterranean-style lunch, I should just jump in and enjoy a plate, rather than just a wrap or a sandwich.

I'll start with the "Greek Fries."  Basically they were fries, deep-fried perfectly, and sprinkled with house seasoning and feta cheese.  I have never had fries like these before!  The spice and the feta cheese added a tang, and a whole new dimension to the fries.  I loved them!

Of course the main entree was the beef and lamb, which seemed to be mostly beef.  The meat was seasoned, marinated, grilled, and thinly sliced, similar to carne asada, and cooked to medium.  It was topped with the restaurant's "House Sauce," which is their version of tzatziki, which is a blend of cucumber and yogurt.  Note the mountain of meat... no skimpy portions found here!  Delicious!

The green salad was fresh, crisp, and added a healthy touch, but what more can I say about a green salad?  The rice was perfectly cooked, and seasoned with house seasoning.  The pita chips are placed on top of the rice; as the photo shows the portion seemed almost endless.

Hummus is what the restaurant specializes in, and they feature NINE varieties of it, all fresh, in-house made from scratch.  When you order any dish at the restaurant that includes hummus - most do - you can choose any variety.  I chose the leader from the hummus menu, the "Extreme Signature Hummus," which is chick peas, blended with a variety of spices.  Fantastic!

My lunch was simply amazing!  Everything served at the restaurant is made in-house from scratch, using fresh ingredients, buy the friendly and talented staff.  There are no cans at Extreme Hummus!  All components of my lunch worked wonderfully together, and I left with a smile on my face, and a full stomach.  (In fact, I didn't eat dinner until nearly eight hours later, and it was just a small bowl of turkey soup.)  The quality and quantity of this lunch represented an outstanding value!  The friendly welcome of the staff also enhanced with wonderful dining experience.

Extreme Hummus is a restaurant of extremes... extremely fresh, delicious food... extremely clean, comfortable dining... and extremely friendly staff who treat you like family, and refer to you as "one of our wonderful diners." Extreme Hummus is an extremely wonderful restaurant!

Extreme Hummus
7820 Zenith Dr.
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916 727-2500
www.extremehummusgyro.com


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