After setting up Miznon in Singapore, celebrity chef Eyal Shani is back with another concept – North Miznon – where he elevates flavours of his hometown and serves them in a classier, more dressed-up setting.
Behind the emerald-hued doors along Amoy Street, the chef has created a portal to the bustling streets of Tel Aviv. Instead of art pieces and chic fixtures, the walls of the restaurant might come lined with rows of tomatoes, or adorned with a bouquet of sage leaves. These edible decors bring to mind scenes of the marketplace and hints at the freshness of ingredients that go into the ever-changing menu (items switch up according to what comes through the doors daily).
Infectious energy fills the room. It might come spilt over from the busy open kitchen, with bar seats that offer a peep into the cooking process. Or it might diffuse from the bread and dessert station (our favourite spot), where steaming-hot pieces of olive oil-doused focaccia are dramatically chopped up, and flow in endless supply.
The free-flowing, pillow-soft bread are perfect appetisers and work even better mid-meal to soak up leftover sauces. The seafood platter ($68) features a catch of sweet crabs, prawns, and calamari stewed in lemon butter sauce. Or try the wild grouper ($15/100g) with Mediterranean vegetables.
Most dishes are seasoned simply to let their natural flavours shine. Roasted cabbage ($23) is a must-have; a whole head of the vegetable is slow-roasted in its own juice till exceedingly tender. Fennel bulb ($17) is also prepped the same way and offers equal satisfaction. Others are a feast for the eyes. Naked heirloom tomatoes ($19) are arranged in neat circles, like a mosaic, and dressed with olive oil and salt. And slivers of octopus ($47) and beef ($47) carpaccio are draped and served on actual rocks.
Desserts provide a sweet dose of fun; just walk up and point at whatever looks good. If there is still space left in the belly, the sampling platter ($19/person) is a good option. Served on cardboard, options might include apple crumble cake, blood plum tarte, creme caramel, malabi or soft milk pudding, and a honeycomb-like ants nest cake that is reminiscent of ginger-scented kueh ambon.