A Dreamer's Holiday | Philadelphia | Zahav (In-depth review)

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Zahav

Philly's Answer to What is Israeli Cuisine

EAT

Philadelphia

AUTHOR

Kevin Dao

HEADER PHOTO

Jaclyn Lewis

DATE

11 April 2019

EAT

Sitting comfortably at the far end of the crowded dining room with an extraordinary glass of Israeli wine to sip on, I acknowledged that I finally made it to Zahav.

Tucked away from the busy streets of Walnut and Locust, Chef Michael Solomonov and his talented team at Zahav are serving authentic, modern Israeli cuisine unlike any other restaurant in Philadelphia, perhaps in America. My friends raved about their amazing soft laffa bread, refreshing salatim plates and savory al ha'esh dishes which all seemed foreign to me at the time. As they were describing the flavorful hanger steak and tasty caramelized fennel, I was thinking to myself, what exactly is Israeli cuisine? It would be nearly a year before I could answer this question.

My cultural journey started with the informative documentary, In Search of Israeli Cuisine where Solomonov explored the origins of classic dishes that are now seen in his restaurants. He explained how food from Israel comes from a melting pot of different cultures: Jewish, Arab, Christian, Muslim, Druze and so on. I discovered he was a native Israeli but moved to Pittsburgh at a young age. After attaining his culinary degree, he made his way to Philly cooking at the renowned Vetri. A special bond developed with Marigold’s owner Steven Cook and ultimately led to the opening of Zahav in 2008. Since then, Solomonov has won multiple James Beard Foundation awards and co-owns several eating establishments such as the wildly praised Federal Donuts and the urban “hummus stall” Dizengoff.

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Though it has been around for more ten years, Zahav remains one of the toughest restaurants in Philadelphia to secure a dinner reservation. Their popularity and relevance is due to all the points I mentioned earlier. If you look at OpenTable at this moment, chances are there are no openings for the next three months. Luckily I scored a Saturday night dinner reservation for my 31st birthday back in March.

The magnificence of Zahav is evident the moment you walk in. Its interior creates a Middle Eastern atmosphere with the vibrant low-lit lamps, immaculate white drapes above the high tops, cream-colored walls and all wood furnishings. When I finally sat down after marveling at the décor, I had an undeniable urge to taste all the dishes on the menu. The server was caught off guard by my request yet wisely scaled all the plates into manageable portions. I’m sure she knew we would still have leftovers for the next night.

The salatim as a starter is an excellent alternative to the usual suspects of chips and dip. It consists of six vegetable salads, some pickled, some cooked. The chef amazingly transforms seasonal vegetables into delicious works of art that even a carnivore will find appetizing. From the charred eggplant to the homemade pickled veggies, all the salads complemented the unforgettable pita-like flatbread called laffa. Add a side of hummus and you have the perfect appetizers.

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Each of the eight mezzes we sampled had its own unique delicious personality. A clear favorite was the warm colored fried cauliflower that contrasted nicely to the mint yogurt and dusting of Aleppo pepper. Taking you back to your childhood, haloumi in brik is the bite of a perfect grilled cheese sandwich, while the crispy sweetbreads are those little chicken nuggets you grew up eating, but in thyroid form. Stinky cheese haters may want to avoid the braised dew drop cabbage. The kashkaval cheese they use in that dish can be quite overpowering. Tartare lovers will enjoy kibbe naya, raw lamb sandwiched between two golden brown pieces of eggplant.

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Coming to the final stretch is al ha'esh, which focuses on entrees grilled on coals. The crunchy romanesco cauliflower balanced well with the mildly acidic red pepper muhammara sauce. The chicken shishlik was pleasantly charred and juicy but bitter at times, especially if the persimmon is missing in the bite. As for the duck and foie gras kebabs, I’ve had duck and foie gras separately in France but never together in a meatball form. It was such an interesting yet savory twist on a French classic. And the branzino was exactly how it should taste: crispy on the outside but soft and flaky on the inside.

One unfortunate mishap was the under seasoned Moroccan eggplant. The buildup of water was apparent in the grilled eggplant, drowning the spices and salt and pepper. Each spoonful of it, even with the pepitas and chickpeas was underwhelming and bland. I suspected it was a technical issue, since all the other dishes were aggressively but appropriately seasoned.

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I am not much of a dessert person but I was completely blown away by the last two dishes. The textual contrast between the crunchy noodles and soft cream inside the chocolate konafi was something I ‘ve never experienced before. The equally delectable walnut crumb cake is reminiscent of a coffee cake but elevated with cardamom ice cream and caramelized apples. What a way to end an impeccable birthday dinner.

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There is no place like Zahav that provides a taste of Israel, in a comfortable restaurant setting with excellent table service and friendly staff. It was such a huge honor to finally meet the man behind the innovative dishes, Michael Solomonov. He is one of the most humble, down to earth guys you can meet. He is doing amazing things in Philly, a city that is seemingly more than soft pretzels and cheesesteaks. If you can’t make it to Israel, go to Zahav, the answer to what is Israeli cuisine.