The weather warmed last night, beckoning people out of their cozy homes to experience the city released from the bone chilling weather of last week. One and Two started their evening at the Continental at 2nd and Walnut. One had an Old Fashioned...a warming yet refreshing drink that did not skimp on the Maker’s Mark. Two had a Ketel One Cosmopolitan which had a great splash of citrus. Needless to say the walk up to Zahav was further warmed by these delightful concoctions. The room at Zahav is large with windows opening to the kitchen. Neither One nor Two have been to any countries that specialize in the food served at Zahav, so they had no basis by which to critique the authenticity of the decor. This lack of basis for comparison is often the case when going to a restaurant specializing in ethnic food, so we can only assess whether the decor contributes or detracts in any way to the whole experience. The room felt to Two like just another big restaurant decorated by a hip designer with a Middle Eastern flair. Nothing special but nothing terrible either. One and Two were led to a smaller dining room set off from the larger one. Unfortunately someone had recently wiped the hammered copper tabletop with a strong smelling cleaning solution that One had a hard time appreciating. So often those first moments at a restaurant really set the tone. Two sat down across from one and immediately started redesigning the tables to be 6 inches narrower so that she could hear her companion and maybe even reach his hand. The waiter arrived to “educate” us in his ubiquitous waiter cadence about how the menu worked. The menu has a section of starters and then three categories: Dairy, Meat, and Grilled Over Coals. Dessert follows. One and Two chose the tasting menu, as it seemed a reasonable value, was fairly flexible, and allowed for selections from all areas of the menu.
One enjoyed ordering from the wine list. Selections from Lebanon, Morocco, and Israel were among the regions represented which provided a fun opportunity to sample something new. He selected a Sauvignon Blanc from Lebanon that was fruity, tart, and dry with a nice hint of Granny Smith apple which complemented everything. The meal started with the Salatim & Hummus with Laffa. The waiter brought first a plate of hummus and flat bread to the table and then the Salatim. Two had recently heard of a competition in Israel and Palestine to create the biggest serving of Hummus. The record is held by chefs in Abu Ghosh who whipped up more than 4,000 kg. of hummus, adding a Guinness Book record to the Arab town's reputation for hospitality and harmony . In that area of the world Hummus is not only a staple food but also a point of competition. The restaurateurs interviewed claimed with conviction their hummus to be the best in the land. The man interviewing them tasted their hummus and described it. For those of you familiar with hummus in little plastic containers in the grocery store, sit down. Hummus can be as varied as the people making it. It can be smooth, coarse, lemony, and the list goes on. The hummus at Zahav is excellent. It has a smooth but not pasty consistency and is served with warm puffy flat bread. Again, One and Two found it hard not to fill up on the bread. We highly recommend the Salatim. It is served in 8 small dishes and offers a great selection of small salad and vegetable creations that highlight the flavors of the cuisine. One and Two felt that they would have been better presented along with the dishes that followed as accompaniments. The eggplant and the okra were excellent. The chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds, and couscous were a great combination that would have been wonderful beside the bronzino that was to follow. Little hot relishes were placed beside the Salatim and were used throughout the meal for flavor. One ordered Malauch which combined a coarse tomato and roasted pepper puree with egg yolk and kashkaval. The puree had a well balanced smoky flavor, the egg yolk added an interesting touch, and the cheese added a pungent dimension. Two ordered Israeli Persimmon Salad with Bulgarian feta, green olives, and endive. Again the dish had an agreeable balance created by the sweetness of the persimmons, the very sheepy (think barnyard) feta cheese, and the bitter endive. Both dishes delivered an overall experience of a dominant flavor with other flavors providing backup voices. One followed his Dairy course by choosing Sweetbread Schnitzel with sesame, barberries, and pickled cabbage. The Schnitzel took the form of fried cubes, crowned by nicely cured cabbage, resting in a sauce. Two had Kibbe Naya. Both preferred the crisp juxtaposed to the tender effect of the sweetbread. The Kibbe was stickier...almost pasty. Both dishes were, however, nicely flavored and beautifully presented. And again, Two really wanted those little Salatim selections to come back. Al Ha’esh means grilled over coals. One ordered the Jaffa which was Bronzino, bulgar pilaf, dates and celery. Two ordered Monsieur Merguez but got the Bronzino as well somehow. Of all the dishes it had the strongest flavors. Not only was the fish characteristically strong but so was the caramelized celery and date combination. This dish would have been wonderful with something to lighten the flavors in between bites. Dessert followed with One ordering the Dark Chocolate Babka and Two choosing the Labaneh Panna Cotta. The Panna Cotta was outrageous. The pistachio baklava beside it came in the form of a small square and lacked the punch of a more traditional baklava. But again, the lemon combined with the pistachio and the smoothness of the panna cotta were an inspired combination. One was not as happy with his chocolate dough ball. He started looking for a scoop of ice cream which is never a good sign.
Zahav excelled in our estimation at combining what are traditional ingredients to the cuisine of the middle east with creativity. No dish had too much or too little of any ingredient. Flavors were well balanced. Portions were well suited to sharing between two people. Zahav would be fun with a large group. Try as many dishes as possible and share. Keep the Salatim around as you eat and use it to accent the dishes as they arrive. Above all do not eat a big forkful of the hot green relish as Two did by accident unless there is a big piece of flat bread at hand.
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