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Must Have Dish: Baba Ghanoush At Au Za'atar
By
Nell Casey
Published Apr 4, 2014
Modified Apr 4, 2014
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Michael Tulipan
By
Nell Casey
Published Apr 4, 2014
Modified Apr 4, 2014
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There are many things to enjoy about East Village newcomer Au Za'atar, from their superlative shwarma to the unexpectedly addictive Arnabeet Mekle, a fried cauliflower dish that would convert any cabbage flower phobes. But it's the wonderfully creamy and smoky Baba Ghanoush ($7) that stole the show at a recent visit to the charming candlelit restaurant.
To make the spread, the kitchen char-grills the eggplant, creating a deep smokiness that softens some of the vegetable's natural bitterness. The eggplant then gets pureed with tahini, adding a nice nutty note and some additional richness, then it gets finished with a squirt of lemon juice and some olive oil. The resulting dish has excellently balanced flavors and a wonderfully luscious texture.
The extensive selection of mezze gets served with a generous portion of grilled pita—liberally dusted with the restaurant's namesake spice blend—plus some super creamy labne (a yogurt-like cheese). It's the ideal vehicle for consumption of the baba ghanoush, especially when you're scraping the last morsels from the bottom of the bowl.
Au Za'atar is located at 188 Avenue A, 212-254-5660; auzaatar.com
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Nell Casey
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