The Timna Crew Opens A Casual Mediterranean Cafe In Bed-Stuy

Scott Lynch

Published Jun 22, 2016

Modified Jun 22, 2016

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Hippie Hummus ($9)

Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist

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Scott Lynch

Published Jun 22, 2016

Modified Jun 22, 2016

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Our latest installment of Quick Bites brings us to Bed-Stuy for hummus and schug.

THE VIBE
Timna, the lovely little Mediterranean restaurant on St Marks, was one of our favorites of 2015 (that cauliflower!), so when we heard that owner Ori Apple was opening a new place in Bed-Stuy, it was immediately added to the must-try list.

Apple's new restaurant is called Dinghy, and it's a charming counter-service cafe that serves all sorts of Middle Eastern casual classics, plus a few curve balls. Apple and his family are part of the neighborhood community here, and on both of my evening visits last week the place was jumping with kids.

There are seats for about 20 if you include the bench on the wide sidewalk outside, and the pretty design—call it "rustic fishing village"—contributes to the feeling of oasis that hits when you first walk in, especially in contrast to the chaotic corner of Fulton and Franklin just a few steps away.

(Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist)

The playlist skews hippie (CSNY, Wild Horses), and the scruffy young man behind the counter will welcome you with a friendly smile and solid menu advice if you're undecided.

THE BITES
Most of the Dinghy menu is pretty basic, but most of it also quite good, so no complaints here. The Hummus Plate, for example, offers a solid foundation for a meal, the dish of thick, creamy spread garnished with oil, herbs, and chickpeas, and accompanied by a decent whole wheat pita. As with most everything else I ate, your hummus experience will be improved by a house hot sauce—a green, garlicky schug—and a jar of the strong homemade pickles, which bring a necessary hit of acid to the table.

The Chicken Shawarma pita is generously stuffed and wholly satisfying, the thigh meat a good call for ensuring maximum bird flavor. Moving out to sea, Dinghy's Popcorn Shrimp is the stealth winner in the "Snacks" category, the plump crustaceans lightly battered tempura-style and sticky with a glaze of Hoisin. This is a much better choice than the overly-breaded, overly-fried Calamari, which not even the lettuce-trough of smoked paprika aioli can salvage.

That smoked paprika also makes an appearance in the pleasantly greasy boat of Zucchini Fries (they're chips, really), which also utilizes grated salty parmesan to good effect. For the picky eaters in your crew, the Dinghy Burger will not disappoint (the single patty "small" is definitely kid-sized), and though The Perfect Fried Potatoes are not, the salty spuds disappeared in a hurry at our table.

French Fries, $3.50. (Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist)

A pair of frozen desserts round things off; the most gimmicky of them, called Yuval At A Doctor's Visit (Yuval is one of the young Apples) features a plastic syringe of hot fudge which you inject into your vanilla ice cream, which is topped with fresh whipped cream.

THE VERDICT
Dinghy is a family-friendly charmer, a comfortable place where you can put a spread on your table with a nice variety of different flavors without spending too much money.

Dignhy is located at 504 Franklin Avenue between Fulton and Hancock Streets, and is open Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday from noon until 10. Closed Sunday. No beer or wine yet, though they're trying.

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bed stuy

dinghy

quick bites

original