This article appeared in the Jan. 4, 2014 Jewish Advocate.
Chubby Chickpea offers Mediterranean, kosher fare
By Susie Davidson
Special to The Advocate
Boston three times a week.
The Chubby Chickpea takes great pride in its tasty wraps on homemade laffa (Israeli street bread), its crispy, handmade falafel, stuffed grape leaves, rotisserie turkey shawarma, hummus, baba ganoush, baklava, salads, grilled chicken salads, and other fresh Mediterranean fare.
In fact, it takes it all to the streets. As noted on its Facebook site, that’s the mission of the restaurant, food truck and catering company.
Owner Avi Shemtov describes his food as healthy, fast and fresh, and on Christmas Day, he offered a full buffet at theCanton restaurant. Everything is glatt kosher and KVH certified; in fact, it’s the only kosher restaurant south of Boston. In the city itself, the food trucks (also kosher) travel three days per week on the streets of the Back Bay, Financial District, and Waterfront area.
Should you wish to host a private event that’s healthful, delicious and kosher, the Chubby Chickpea also offers catering. The food truck can be booked on request for outdoor happenings, and it shows up at events such as the annual Life is Good festival in Canton, and the LimmudBoston conference. The Canton restaurant is also available for group functions or parties.
Stoughton resident Shirley Farber found an hour wait at its Christmas Day buffet, and had to take her food to go. “I’m happy to have a kosher restaurant near my house,” said Farber, who publishes the quarterly Shalom Magazine. “I have tried almost everything on the menu. The portions are good and the prices are very reasonable.” She added that her favorite menu item was the brisket sandwich.
In June 2010, the first Chubby Chickpea restaurant, which was non-kosher, opened on Washington Street in Canton. Eventually, Shemtov retired it to open his new incarnation. “We gathered our chickpeas into a basket, closed that location, and brought our team to a bigger, better and easier-to-access spot,” he recalls on the website. In October, the restaurant reopened in a newly renovated space on nearby Jackson Street, where diners can now feast on the items mentioned above, in addition to braised brisket, corned beef, eggplant salad, fried and panko breaded eggplant, kebabs, schnitzel and shakshuka. Specials are offered both at the restaurant and on the trucks, and can be viewed beforehand on social media sites. Holiday treats such as latkes and sufganiyot on Chanukah are on the menu as well.
Complimentary condiments and toppings include pickles, olives, peppers, lettuce, tabbouleh and hot sauce. There are burgers, hot dogs and French fries for the kids, and prices are low, ranging from $4 to the low teens for various items.
The food truck can be found between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in Boston’s Back Bay, across from the Prudential Center at 100 Belvidere St., on Mondays; at 292 Atlantic Ave. at Rowe’s Wharf in Boston on Tuesdays; and 453 Atlantic Ave. at Congress Street on Wednesdays. But on the website, Shemtov cautions that the locations may vary slightly “because there are usually multiple ‘areas’ where food trucks can be staged, which are on a first-come-first-serve basis.”
Shemtov’s culinary background was limited to growing up immersed in his father’s restaurants, which included King David, Skewers and Sabra. “I grew up in Sharon and was bar mitzvahed at Temple Adath Sharon,” he told The Advocate. “This restaurant is the realization of a dream, which is bringing my father’s and grandmother’s recipes into the 21st century.” True to that vision, everything is made from those recipes or his own ideas, the falafel is gluten-free, and he offers vegetarian and vegan options.
A Sharon High School graduate, Shemtov attended Northeastern University, where he met his future wife Adrien (married since 2010, they live in Canton with their son, Adley). He earned a degree in ethical, social and political philosophy from University of MassachusettsBoston, and his past career ventures included managing an independently owned sign company and a boutique real estate office. During that time, he was featured on HGTV’s program “House Hunters.”
According to Shemtov, Chubby’s waistline, or at least its radius, might be expanding. “Hopefully, the Chickpea’s future includes a Providence-based truck, a regular brunch schedule, and Friday Shabbat pickup,” he told The Advocate. “Events are fluid, but we also plan to be at a great deal of them.” The next event stop is scheduled for Jan. 4 at Maimonides School’s basketball tournament.
The restaurant at 120 Jackson St. in Canton is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit thechubbychickpea.com, call (781) 828-6868 or email ChubbyChickpea@gmail.com for more information.