First off, my deepest apologies for the horrendous flash photos as I had no choice. You could say that I am going for a Terry Richardson inspired style of photography with food.
This newly opened restaurant in lower Manhattan serves nouveau Israeli food. I came here late on a Friday evening, only able to snatch a 10:30pm reservation a few hours before.
Food
I love the food here. I can't wait to go back already. To start we ordered the Jerusalem bagel and fatush. The warm bagel served with za'atar and olive oil was perfect, really how all bagels should be. Not this rock hard like-situation you find almost everywhere else. The fatush, served with arugula, herbs, cucumber, feta and avocado, was surprisingly extremely fresh and tasty. I don't even like salads to be honest, but this fatush I did.
That poussin though. I can't even. That little bird on crispy rice drenched with walnuts and pomegranate is delicious. This is how all chicken should be made. Soft, tender and slides right off the bone. Why bother even settling for subpar chicken? I can't stand that dry stuff. The pomegranate adds a nice touch of gentle sweetness and dynamic flavors.
The lamb neck was also on point. Bathed in chickpea puree. Again, so soft and tender. It was very well made. They REALLY know how to cook meat.
Jerusalem bagel and Fatush
Decor
The setting is dark and intimate. A little too dark for photos without flash. But it was a romantic and had a calm atmosphere. The music wasn't that loud and overall a very quiet environment.
Quality
Excellent. The food was very fresh and well made. I am impressed.
Price
It is pricey for the quantity. I've read several reviews on Yelp where the main complaint was the portions. However, for the uniqueness of food and quality, I don't think it's absurd by New York standards. It's a great date spot. I'd expect to pay about $70-80 per person after tax & tip. By no means cheap, but it's New York.
Reservation
You definitely need a reservation here, perhaps a few weeks in advance for a decent hour. However, they do have a bar seating that doesn't seem to be too hyped.
Poussin
Lamb neck