Go for the Gold

In trying this restaurant I thought I would hate, I learned to keep an open mind...and that other than Lima beans there is no food that I don't like!

With all of my dinner groups we have a rule; when its a person's turn to pick the restaurant, there are no objections, complaints, or cancelling allowed.  So when my friend Deb picked "Zahav", Marlene and I called each other to moan and complain.  Why does Deb always have to pick something weird or foreign?  Why can't she pick something we all like?  Mar and I agreed that we would eat light and then go to McDonald's on the way home!  Boy, were we in for an unforeseen treat!  This Israeli eatery is beautiful inside.  Two sides of the restaurant are floor to ceiling windows with a great view of Dock Street in the Olde City section of Philadelphia.  Everything inside is a gorgeous cherry wood, with quiet lighting, and a wide-open feeling.  It's very elegant, soothing, and relaxing.  In reading the history of the restaurant, "Zahav" means gold in Hebrew.  It is a reference to Jerusalem. 

Zahav offers a "small plates" menu that allows you to try more items on the menu.  To start off, the waiter brought us their Laffa bread and hummus.  This delicate flatbread is baked in a wood-burning oven.  It is fantastic!  And the hummus was definitely the best I've ever had.  It was creamy and so flavorful (sometimes I think hummus is boring and has no taste)!  For the appetizer, please do yourself a favor and get the grilled cauliflower.  This dish was soooo good; the cauliflower is fried in chive, oil, mint, and garlic.  Then try the salatim, which is an Israeli take on salad.  This dish comes in eight small ramekins on an iron serving rack.  Each ramekin holds a different type of salad.  The "salads" are different types of vegetables cooked by various methods.  Every one of them was delicious (even the Okra - which I didn't think I would like).  The eggplant dish was unbelievable!  And there is just enough of each to have a couple of spoonfuls, but not enough to stuff yourself before the entree. 

For the entree I had the lamb kabob.  The spices on the outside of the lamb were superb; there was such flavor and the meat was so tender.  And again, the size of the portion was perfect.  The lamb kabob was served with a side of turnips.  I love turnips and these were done differently than I had ever had before; but they were wonderful (I hate to put this in writing, but I think they were even better than my Mom's)!  Deb had the roasted chicken with couscous and Mar had the braised beef.  They both enjoyed their meals also.

   

We did not have room for dessert, but did enjoy the ambiance as we relaxed with coffee and tea.  One of the things that I enjoy about a really good restaurant is when they don't rush you.  They leave you alone to digest your meal and enjoy the shared conversation with your dinner-mates.  Our waiter would quietly visit our table to refresh our beverages and never bothered us about paying and leaving.  We had a wonderful time at this lovely restaurant, and Marlene and I did not need to stop at McDonald's on our way home!

Zahav's Fried Cauliflower - Absolutely Delicious!

Zahav
237 St. James Place
Philadelphia, PA  19106
215-625-8800
www.zahavrestaurant.com