When it comes to top-notch contemporary Israeli food, upmarket New York City restaurant Shmone sets the bar extremely high. In fact, it was just nominated for a Michelin Star.
We couldn’t expect anything less than perfect, being that world-famous Israeli chef & restauranteur Chef Eyal Shani is at the helm. If you’re a New Yorker (or an aspiring one who likes to visit often), you’ve probably heard of some of his other restaurants in the city — HaSalon and Miznon are two of several.
Unlike his other restaurants that remain high on the spaciousness spectrum, Shmone feels more intimate via its open kitchen and 50-seat floor plan.
Before we move on to the food, let us provide some background on how the restaurant got its name. Shmone means “eight” in Hebrew and is a tribute to its location: On Eighth Street in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighborhood.
Ok, now on to the impeccable food. Here, Shani’s Israeli-style menu varies by season and what’s fresh at the moment: One evening’s plates may focalize on just-picked legumes, but a few days later, the selection might be seafood-centric, with the restaurant sourcing hyper-fresh fish from the sea.
The tempting menu commences with artisanal bread concoctions — if on the menu that day, you’ll love the Scallion-inflected bourkas, which are baked on hot focaccia and studded with tomatoes & sour cream.
There’s also the “Vegetable Creatures” section: an assemblage of plates sourced from Mother Earth, such as white asparagus cooked on charcoal and doused with sour cream.
You’ll also run into the “From the Depths of the Ocean” section of the menu. Expect plates such as white-fish carpaccio, Spanish mackerel with a deep beet “perfume,” and monkfish that is flavor enhanced via Osetra caviar butter.
And finally, there’s the section comprising meat dishes — Carnivores are in for a treat. Past example dishes include hand-chopped lamb kebab with yogurt and “burned” vegetables, thinly sliced entrecote “on a sharp metal,” sweetbreads, and freekeh-stuffed onion, plus a 60-day dry-aged prime rib steak.
To surmise, the restaurant’s ever-changing menu is chock full of ambrosial plates, each one drastically different from the last (but again, could we expect anything less than amazing when reviewing one of Eyal Shani’s spots?).
Top Takeaways:
Location: New York City (Greenwich Village)
Cuisine: Contemporary Israeli
Price Point: $$$
Takes reservations?: Yes
The vibe: Contemporary Israeli deliciousness served within a buzzy intimate setting.
Our favorite thing on the menu: Of course, it depends on what’s available that day, but for us, the Israeli-influenced Lasagna was a gift to our tastebuds.
The attire based on the vibe: Smart Casual
Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner?: Just dinner, served every day from 6:00pm-12am, with the exception of Sundays when it’s closed.
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