Shaya
4213 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115, USA
Uptown 2: Washington To Napoleon
Anecdotes & Analysis
Restaurants serving the Turkish-inspired food of the Middle East have been rife around New Orleans for three decades. Their menus are largely interchangeable. So are the prices, which always seem too low given the volume of food sent out. Because most Middle-Eastern places are managed by Muslims, they don't sell alcohol. But they do allow customers to bring their own wines, beers, or other alcoholic beverages, with no corkage fees. This works as an attraction for customers who might not otherwise get excited. Despite the unusual dish names and presentations, developing a taste for these cuisines comes easily. Suddenly in late 2015--but soon enough to be called the best new restaurant of the year--Shaya opened with a very different approach to this Levantine cooking. It shortly became one of the most popular restaurants in town. It's still is hard to get a reservation there. Chef Alon Shaya, working with his business partner John Besh--performed a total reworking of the flavors. You will recognize about half of the words on the menu, but all of the eating will be revolutionary, with the further claim that the style is Israeli. That alone caught a lot of people's attention.
Backstory
The building was renovated by the same folks who put the now-extinct Le Foret on the map. After changing hands (Chef Dominique Macquet came and went) and another renovation, Chefs John Besh and Alon Shaya expanded the partnership they forged at Domenica to open Shaya. Oh yes, and Chef Alon is a native of Israel.
Dining Room
The look of the restaurant makes one feel vaguely like he is in a town on the eastern end of the Mediterranean. The tables line up both inside and out, built of pastel-colored, smooth, angular, clean materials (almost all of them hard, making for a high noise level in the dining room). The bar and dining areas merge seamlessly into one another, as is the current vogue. Tables extend well back into the high-walled courtyard, which could also be called an alley. Upstairs is a larger room serving both a la carte and group customers.
Why It's Good
Tel Aviv has a great restaurant scene, I am told by a few friends who have been there often. And that's the style Shaya is going for. Test case: Do you love hummus? Yes, of course, who doesn't? But the way they do it at Shaya, where hummus washes over ingredients you've never seen it paired with, is something else again. The entire menu works that way, except perhaps for the parts where there is nothing familiar at all. When you order shakshousha, for example, you get a dish of poached eggs with a thick sauce of tomatoes, chile peppers, onions, cheese, Jerusalem artichokes (which aren't really artichokes) and a list of seasonings. Where have you had this before? In Jerusalem, yes. Or New York or L.A. But it's new to me and probably you. Shaya also dares to operate with eccentric menu categories. There are appetizers designed to either serve two people, or to serve as an entree for one. Then there are apps for one, and entrees for more than one. Meanwhile, the pita bread is irresistible. It's the same dough Chef Alon uses to make pizza at his other restaurant, Domenica. It all works brilliantly together, especially if you come with an emphatic hunger. Even if you're not a dessert lover, try one here. They are beautiful, fresh, unique and scrumptious.
Most Interesting Dishes
<em><strong>Starters For The Table</strong></em> »Pita bread (an offbeat but irresistible version of the familiar flatbread, made by Alon Shaya using his pizza dough from Domenica. You can't stop eating this. Baba ganoush (eggplant, green garlic, olive oil) Israeli salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, za'atar spice) Labneh (yogurt, wax peppers, radishes) »Tabbouleh salad (parsley, bulgur wheat, red onion, almonds, lemon) Pickled ramps (big green onions, feta, olive oil, pecans) »Lutenitsa (roasted pepper, eggplant, garlic, tomato) Pickles (cauliflower, cucumber, cabbage) Ikra (paddlefish caviar, shallots) Roasted okra, tahini, tomatoes »Moroccan carrots, Arab marinade, mint <em><strong>Single Starters</strong></em> »Hummus tahiti, olive oil, Aleppo pepper »Curried fried cauliflower, caramelized onions, cilantro »Lamb ragú, crispy chickpeas Soft cooked egg, red onion, pickles, harissa hot sauce Chanterelles, wood roasted corn, sunflower seeds, brown butter »Avocado toast, smoked whitefish, pink peppercorns, rye bread »Kibbeh nayah (raw ground beef and lamb, bulgur, walnuts, Yemeni flatbread) Persian rice, golden crust, mustard greens Foie gras, rose tahini, carob molasses, challah bread Falafel, cabbage salad and cucumber tsatziki »Lamb kebab, tomatoes, pine nuts, tahini, cilantro Roasted cabbage, muhammara, tahini, hazelnuts »Crispy halloumi cheese, spring peas, roasted leeks, preserved lemon Matzo ball soup, slow cooked duck, escarole, tender herbs »Fattoush salad, vegetables, feta, crispy pita Grilled chicken, lettuce, harissa olives, citrus, sumac onions <em><strong>Entrees</strong></em> »Roasted chicken, mustard, lemon verbena, crispy rice, wild mushrooms Wagyu hanger steak, pole beans, charred onions, tomatoes Amberjack, grape leaves, cucumber taratour, walnuts »Slow cooked lamb, whipped feta, walnut and pomegranate tabbouleh »Shakshouka, chermoula, Jerusalem artichokes, spicy chilies, tomato, egg <em><strong>Desserts</strong></em> »Milk and honey (Lebneh cheesecake, mixed nut granola, burnt honey ice cream) »Malabi (vanilla custard, strawberry, rose, rhubarb sorbet »Pavlova meringue, blueberries and basil Warm chocolate baba (poppy seeds and halva ice cream) »Honey cake (peaches, pistachios and sweet cream)
Deficiencies
I'm no fan of banquette seating, which dominates most dining rooms.
For Best Results
If you call for a reservation, even well in advance, you may find the place sold out. It may be easier to just walk in and hope for the best. Especially if you're willing to dine outside. If you want to carry on a conversation, sit near a window, inside or out. Know that the only sign on the building is high and painted in low contrast, making it all but invisible as you pass by. Reward for finding the place: free parking in an adjacent lot, a big help in this restaurant-rich neighborhood.
Bonus Ratings
1
Environment
3
Hipness
1
Local Color
2
Service
1
Value
1
Wine