237 Street James Pl.

Tel: 215-625-8800

Before opening Zahav, chef Michael Solomonov took his entire kitchen on a (well-publicized) gastronomic tour of Israel, and the field trip paid off: The menu is a didactic list of small plates that maps the country's culinary heritage in delicious detail. Turkish hummus is finished with melted butter instead of olive oil; fried Cypriot haloumi cheese is paired with dates and toasted pine nuts; and a Moroccan-inspired pastilla is stuffed with spiced rabbit, prunes, and almonds. Solomonov's passion for Israeli food has rubbed off: Knowledgeable servers explain the menu and its inspirations in exacting detail, even if they weren't on the big trip.
Tip: Fill up on pillowy laffa straight from the wood-burning oven (small plates, $6–$10).