Chef Michael Solomonov Opens Zahav In Philadelphia

CHEF MICHAEL SOLOMONOV AND
RESTAURATEUR STEVEN COOK
TO OPEN ZAHAV RESTAURANT

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Highly acclaimed Executive Chef Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook, one of the city's rising star restaurateurs, have opened Zahav, a modern take on the traditional Middle Eastern restaurant, located at 237 Saint James Place in the Old City neighborhood. Chef Solomonov, a native of Israel, brings the flavors and dining traditions of his homeland to Philadelphia, filling an important gap in the city's food scene.
Zahav, which means gold in Hebrew, offers a dining experience that reflects millennia of culinary and cultural history. The restaurant's warm feel was inspired by the many hidden terraces in the Old City of Jerusalem. The interior features a convivial setting of rustic communal tables, exposed wooden beams and imported stone. Traditional cooking methods will be the hallmark of the kitchen: flatbreads, including pita, laffa and Lebanese Mountain bread, are baked in an authentic Arabic taboon, a wood-burning oven, and skewered meats and fish are cooked over live coals.
The menu draws inspiration from the many cultures that have left their marks on Jerusalem over the centuries. Guests taste dishes and ingredients from Morocco, Turkey, Yemen, Lebanon and Egypt in addition to the Baltic and Sephardic influences that have always distinguished Chef Solomonov's style. "It's truly a melting pot cuisine," says the chef.
Zahav offers authentic Middle Eastern fare in the family-style dining setting typical of the region. Traditionally, the meal begins with an assortment of cooked and raw vegetable salads. Zahav's menu features more than a dozen such dishes that guests may sample in combinations of four, six or eight items. Highlights include the classic Israeli Salad with cucumber, tomato and parsley; Chatzilim with marinated eggplant, pomegranate and onions and Moroccan Carrots with cumin and lemon. This course is followed by dips such as hummus, babaganoush and foul (an Egyptian fava bean puree), usually accompanied by bread. The meal progresses to hot mezze, such as Crispy Haloumi, (a brined Cypriot sheep's milk cheese), Stuffed Peppers and Fried Kibbe (lamb and bulgar wheat patties), and finally to hearty grilled meats and whole fish.
A distinguishing feature of the menu is the diverse selection of kebabs, including the The Turk, made of ground beef, pistachios and mint; The Farsi, made of lamb with yogurt and saffron; The Sabra, made with marinated chicken, sumac and tahini; and The Romanian, made with ground beef, garlic and paprika. The complete dining experience costs approximately $35 per person.
"This is the food I grew up eating," says Chef Solomonov of the traditional dishes that will populate Zahav's menu. "My friends and family always bring authentic Israeli spices with them whenever they visit me because I want each dish to taste just how it does when we eat it back home."
The partners enlisted architect and designer Elisabeth Knapp to help them bring their vision for Zahav to life. Large windows overlooking Philadelphia's historic buildings feel like entryways onto a hidden stone terrace, and a soaring ceiling enhances that open-air quality. Long rustic tables seat groups in the 70-seat casual dining room and a 10-seat bar provides space for those stopping by for a quick bite and an Israeli beer or wine. The focal point of the room is the open kitchen, which reveals the coal fires and wood-burning oven. An 8-seat chef's counter gives interested guests an insider's view of the action in the kitchen.
Off the main dining room, stone archways lead to an intimate 24-seat space known as The Quarter, where guests can enjoy a $65 prix fixe menu that changes weekly. Exampl