Don't pity this foul

Long-time readers of this blog are probably already familiar with the Yemen Cafe, so I simply wanted to second Mike's recommendation of it by encouraging any diners to try the delicious foul (pronounced, more or less, the way Mr. T would say "fool"), a large bowl of hearty fava beans that are stewed with garlic and topped with a drizzle of olive oil. It's served with a large, slightly smoky flatbread about the size of a tennis racket and similar to naan in flavor (though a touch chewier and a wee bit sweeter). The $5 appetizer easily makes a filling lunch.

Also of note is their zoug, the green Yemeni hot sauce that, I think, might be the single greatest new food item I've tried in at least a year. It's a crisp, slightly zingy mix of tomatoes (just a tiny amount), jalepeno peppers, cilantro, raw garlic, and blended onions that made me think, "If I could marry a food item, this would be it." If you want just a little idea of how amazing this stuff is, try a spoonful of the house soup without it first, and then add a few teaspoons in before your next spoonful. You'd swear it's an entirely new recipe.

Speaking of which, If anyone has a recipe for this, I beg you to send it to me, or post it here.

Yemen Cafe (map)
176 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn