Zahav

I was in Philadelphia this week doing informational interviews, and celebrated a recent work accomplishment with a dinner at Zahav. Located in old city, Zahav is a modern Israeli restaurant, served in a small plates style. Smaller tables are scattered around the dining room, easily pushed together. There is a bar facing the kitchen for those who want to watch the culinary action happen.

                The menu is split into three sections, salatim (salads) & hummus, mezze (small plates), and al ha’esh (grilled). With many offerings that are uncommon finds, we went for the tayim, the taste of Zahav. Our meandering meal started with a selection of salatim and a foul (pronounced “fool”) hummus, which was flavored with warm fava beans. The seven salads had fresh vegetables, pickled vegetables, spicy, and sweet vegetables. My favorites being a roasted eggplant caponata and the beets, mixed with tahini to give them a nutty and rich flavor.

                We selected four of the 13 mezze trying to order the most ethnic dishes we could. Lamb neck stuffed pastille, grilled duck hearts, kibbe naya (chopped raw lamb), and smoked sable came to our table as they were ready. The pastille was my favorite. Think of a taquito, except the tortilla is paper thin and crispy. Instead of mystery beef, pulled lamb neck, richly spiced and dark meaty flavors with no remnants of game or toughness on offal. The pastille was surrounded by diced apples, walnuts, and a mild horseradish.

                My dining partner liked the kibbe naya best. The diced raw lamb was spooned into bibb lettuce and topped with charoset (“a sweet, dark-colored paste made of fruits and nuts eaten at the Passover Seder”). Uncooked, the lamb was milder than I expected, yet clean and only mildly meaty. The charoset added sweetness and depth of flavor, the lettuce adding a nice crunch.

                Our grilled dishes arrived, lamb merguez and duck kabob. The duck was served as small balls. The dark fowl meat tasted almost beefy in its heartiness. The fig jam that it was served with matched the savory with sweet making the juicy dish that much more delectable. Our other al ha’esh was unapologetically lamb. The sausage was well spiced, grilled, fresh herbs throughout. Mushrooms and pepitas added to the earthiness, a truly savory finish to the small plates.

                Dessert was two dishes. The first, a konafi. Similar to a shredded phyllo dough, the dessert had a creamy ricotta layer and was topped with cherries and almonds. The other dessert was a carrot basboosa. It was like a sweet cornbread, but using carrots instead of corn. Toasted hazelnuts and rosewater-candied cranberries, topped the cake, flavors of fall mingling with flavors of Israel

                The dinner was made that much better because I had a friend to share it with. A great meal, a great time. I never regret coming to Philly.