Aba arrived in Wedgewood-Houston with the full Lettuce Entertain You infrastructure behind it — which means the kitchen is staffed and resourced to execute at a consistent level, the room is well-designed, and the service knows how to run a full house without losing track of individual tables.
Chef CJ Jacobson's menu is built around Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking. The hummus is made from scratch and it shows — smooth, properly seasoned, with enough tahini to taste. The hot honey halloumi is the table opener everyone orders and the right call. The smoked cheddar labneh is more interesting than it sounds. The wood-fired proteins are the kitchen at its most technically confident. The larger plates are more variable but solid throughout.
The room is one of the better designed in Wedgewood-Houston and the bar program keeps pace with the food. This is a restaurant that delivers a consistent experience at the level its address and pricing promise.
The mezze and small plates are precisely made with real product quality. The small plate program is where the kitchen shines.
