Shmone is a Michelin-starred Greenwich Village restaurant, known for Chef Eyal Shani’s neo-Levantine cuisine. Although this is Mediterranean, I wanted to see how it represents Israeli and Middle Eastern. Keep in mind that Michelin Stars are awarded for the food alone. We were able to make a reservation a few weeks in advance without any issue. Do note that this is adjacent to their wine bar which is not their restaurant.
Cafe Zaffri has been opened for just a week and are going through an early preview of their menu. The executive Chef Mary Attea heads the menu by tapping into her Lebanese roots and incorporating Levantine flavors into a modern menu. Along with the Chef, owners Jennifer and Nicole Vitagliano also came from The Musket Room. We were able to make a reservation for Valentine’s Day at 5:30 PM just a few days before because it hasn’t yet been fully discovered by the populous.
Unlike the other cuisines in NYC, Persian food is not something that we actively seek out. However, we often are around this area shopping at the now-closed Bed Bath & Beyond and tend to look for restaurants that are very close. This restaurant was something we surprisingly haven’t tried, so we checked it out. I actually haven’t had Persian food since I moved from LA back in 2016, so I am curious to relive those moments again.