This place offers an interesting (if limited) mix of Tunisian, Israeli, Moroccan and Greek dishes. The corner spot at Shenandoah and California avenues is in the Fox Park neighborhood, not too far from Lafayette Square. It is attractive inside, with a long bar in the front room and a nice dining room next door. There is plenty of exposed brick, in keeping with the vintage feel of the neighborhood, nicely redone wood floors and a molded tin ceiling.
The menu is small, but what they have, they do very well, fully maximizing on the strong flavors of the cuisine. A starter called Baked Lima Beans ($6) was so much more than that. Gigantic flat beans came in a kind of caponata with tomatoes, olive oil and potatoes, served with nice, soft pita bread. Its intense cumin and garlic flavors were highly satisfying.
Two soups, Borscht and Cold Mango Soup ($4.50 each), were similarly delicious. The borscht came hot, topped with sour cream and filled with chunks of potato and beet. The mango soup was cold and sweet and packed a very spicy bite. Another daily soup, Summer Vegetable, was simple but excellent: a flavorful tomato broth filled with squash, northern beans, fresh corn, spinach and cauliflower florets. The vegetables were meaty and crisp-cooked to offer a much heartier dish than typical vegetable soup.
The house specialty seems to be Lablabi ($8), which we ordered with grilled tuna for an upcharge of $4. A Tunisian specialty, this was brothy with chickpeas and cumin and filled with vegetables slow-cooked for hours, or that’s what it tasted like anyway. Olives, capers, preserved lemon, and pickled carrots and onions created a potpourri of flavors anchored by a fried egg on top. Chunks of day-old bread added just before serving can be used to sop up the broth and add a little heft to the meatless dish. (I recommend ordering the bread on the side to better enjoy the delicious broth.)
A mixed vegetables/lentils platter called Hindia’s Plate ($10) was positively delightful in its array of Mediterranean flavors. Offered as a vegetarian entree, it also would make a great starter to share, with its sauteed lentils, roasted potato cubes, sauteed cabbage with greens, tomato chunks and chopped, hard-cooked eggs on top.
The night we visited, lamb kebabs ($11) were available; they had good flavor in the form of a spiceladen coating, but they were a little on the tough side. They come on pita bread with a ‘Jerusalem salad’ of marinated cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes topped with tahini and yogurt that was excellent.
Mishca Fish Stew ($13) was a homestyle concoction of cooked tuna and whitefish sauteed with onions and curry powder served over couscous. The Blackened Shrimp entree ($17) is a flavorful dish of spicy shrimp, small-to-medium sized, topped with lobster sage cream. It comes with roasted corn kernels sauteed with roasted garlic and slivered red peppers.
For dessert, don’t miss the Truffle Flight ($8), a trio of Kakao chocolates—lavender, Turkish coffee and salted caramel—presented with fresh raspber
ries and a bonus confection of lemon-fennel gel. Each truffle made by the local chocolate purveyor had a unique flavor, especially the lavender truffle, which won a prestigious Good Food Award in 2014.
[amuse bouche]
THE SCENE | Urban bar and bistro
THE CHEF | KT Ayers
THE PRICES | $4.50 to $9 starters; $9 to $18 entrees
THE FAVORITES | Lablabi, Baked Lima Beans, Borscht, Summer Vegetable Soup, Hindia’s Plate, Truffle Flight
[chef chat] >> kt ayers
PEDIGREE | Grew up in a family restaurant business
FAVORITE INGREDIENTS | Nutmeg and tarragon
FAVORITE RESTAURANT | West End Grill & Pub
FAVORITE COOKBOOK | The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook
MORE MEMORABLE DINING EXPERIENCE | The game menu at the former Fio’s la Fourchette, when I tried all sorts of dishes I never had before.
GUILTY PLEASURE |Nuts
2800 shenandoah ave. | 314.898.0011
Photos: Bill Barrett
