Zahav

We went to Zahav last night for restaurant week. It's supposed to be a modern Israeli restaurant, and it was spectacular. A nice treat on a non-call and non-post-call night. Sometimes restaurant week is hit or miss because some restaurants become overloaded with customers and they're not used to - so the service goes downhill as well as the food. I think the really good restaurants though, ones that are often busy all the time and are used to the customer load, do just as well during restaurant week as they do during other times.

Last night, they started us off with some pickles and olives, and then brought some large trays of amazing hummus with this homemade bread called laffa that reminded me of naan. Then they brought an appetizer of 8 different vegetables/salads prepared different ways: pickled turnips, beets, carrots in a peppery marinade, cucumbers, a pepper pesto, eggplant, and a couple other things I can't remember off the top of my head. They were all excellent - the beets were my favorite, as well as the table's favorite.

Then we each got to choose two appetizers and an entree. As you can imagine, there was a lot of sharing. I personally ordered the fried cauliflower (one of their specialties) and mini stuffed peppers. The fried cauliflower was soooo good. Pete got bulgar wheat stuffed with ground lamb (sort of like an empanada) and chopped liver. It was probably the best chopped liver I've ever had. From other people at the table, I also tried the fried sheep's milk cheese, which was amazingly tasty and rich, and also these leek and mint fritters, which were mild, but I thought really really good and creamy.

For entrees, we all got similar items. I got a ground beef and lamb entree (the "bulgarian) while Pete got a ground beef and lamb sausage ("Monsieur Merguez"), which was very very tasty, with good spiciness and texture. Then for dessert we shared a cashew baklava with white chocolate argan ice cream and a "konafi" which looked a little bit like sugar and chocolate deep fried noodles, topped with ice cream.

I think I'm still full. :)