Superb Hamati Sesame Bread from Aroma's San Bruno

[K K]

Dean's Produce in Millbrae (on Broadway) as well as the nice Milk Pail Market in Mountain View are carrying a large donut shaped bread with a hollow center that has sesame seeds on top. The sesame seems to have a strong roasted flavor and permeates out of the transparent bag wrap (it holds two pieces).

Having had this from Dean's the first time, I saw this again the other day at Millk Pail Market.

It's called Hamati Bread, and it smelled so delicious through the bag I had to get one to try. And it tasted really good, chewy but not hard and the sesame seeds on top really added to the texture and enjoyment. You can reheat in the oven/toaster oven or enjoy it out of the bag as is.

I think this will appeal to lovers of all sorts of bread, naan, green onion pancake, or those Northern Chinese Halal Muslim style sesame seed flat cakes (zi ma buo bing) like at Darda, or a similar but flatter and not as crunchy version at Sogo Tofu San Jose.

The address noted in the label (strip of paper the size of a post-it)

Aroma's - home of the homemade bread
700 E San Bruno Ave
San Bruno, CA 94066-3631
(650)-876-7000

Ingredients: Flour, yeast, thyme, oregano, olive oil, salt, sugar, water, sesame seed

Google maps shows that Aroma's is a pizza and grill. Perhaps they rebranded or their bakery handles both?

Also on the same shelf rack as the Hamati bread at Milk Pail, was another pita like product by Aroma's. There was also an excellent smelling Russian Rye a rack or two above, but I couldn't be too greedy.

[Constant Velocity]

Thanks for posting about this. I saw this bread at Berkeley Bowl last week for the first time and was curious about how to use it. It seems like it's more for picking apart and dipping than for, say, sandwiches?

[K K]

I think you're right on the dipping approach. Hummus, curry sauce, butter, olive oil/vinegar, cream cheese (?). Or take a bite of that, and some grilled meat. It seems pretty versatile, other than being able to take on a sandwich/bagel format.

[rworange]

Thanks for the tip. Will look out for it.

Here's a brief mention about the bread in 2006, so it seems like they have been making pizza and bread for a while. Odd that they don't mention it on the website. The website had a 2008 valentne's day coupon so it appears they are still in business.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/34951...

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Aroma's Pizza-N-Grill
700 San Bruno Ave E, San Bruno, CA 94066

[Xiao Yang]

According to their website, they are a definitely a Pizza and Grill, but producing middle-eastern style breads would be a logical side line for a place with a good pizza oven. More places should do it. Why not put that oven to work 24 hours a day?