Where to Celebrate Passover 2017
Passover may just be the Jewish people’s most alluring food holiday — despite the fact that it requires a strict abstinence from leavened bread. Running from April 10th-18th this year, the festival celebrates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery, via roasted meats, sweet, flour-free desserts, and lots (and lots, and lots) of red wine. So here’s where to get your matzoh on, at spots like Mile End, Fung Tu, Balaboosta, and more.
Russ & Daughter’s Café
There are multiple ways to incorporate the venerable Russ & Daughter’s into your Passover proceedings — either have your meal catered through their original appetizing shop (no, you can’t have bagels, but you can still go for caviar, smoked fish, chopped liver, halvah, and honey-roasted pecans), or attend a Seder on the 11th at their bustling café, hosted by Catie Lazarus, and benefiting the Lower East Side Girls’ Club (don’t bother with their outpost in the Jewish Museum, as it’s closed in observance of the holiday).
Read MoreBalaboosta
Einat Admony’s star-studded Seder (held on April 11th at her homestyle Israeli restaurant) is reliably one of the hottest tickets of the year. And she’s teaming up with Nicholas Morgenstern this time around, for a five-course, $150 feast of Sabich and Quail Eggs on Matzoh, Middle Eastern Borscht with beet and matzoh balls, Tunisian Lamb Shoulder and an array of desserts, along with live music, Kosher wine, and a prize for the afikomen finder.
Read MoreMile End
The Montreal-inspired Jewish deli has got you covered, whether you’re staying home (catering packages include Charoset, Rutabaga Tsimis, Braised Brisket and Flourless Chocolate Cake), or would just as soon attend their annual, $85, out-of-the-box Seder, featuring readings from Nathan Phillips’ Unorthodox Haggadah, eats like Chopped Duck Liver, Egg, Gribenes and Potato Salad, and Roasted Leg of Lamb with dried apricots, and plenty of non-Manischewitz wine.
Read MoreSamesa
After bopping, separately, from restaurant to restaurant, and joining forces for the series of pop-ups, the Sussman brothers (Eli & Max) have finally committed to this brick-and-mortar, collaborative project, offering Middle Eastern nibbles like Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with sunflower seed dressing, urfa biber-spiced Carrot Romesco Dip, Za’atar-dusted Chicken Wings with labneh ranch, and Braised Lamb and pickle platters (any of which can also be found on an expansive catering menu).
Read MoreFung Tu
It may seem an unusual Seder destination, yet Fung Tu is smartly celebrating its central location between Chinatown and the (traditionally Jewish) Lower East Side, with a $55 progression of cashew and jujube Charoset, Scallion Pancake Matzoh Brei, Sweet and Sour Lamb Ribs, Savory Sweet Potato Lo Mein Kugel, and Stir-fried Bamboo Maror.
Read MoreEli’s Table
Zabar’s is a timeless classic, if you need to stock up on Seder fixings, yet their elegant, adjunct restaurant is a surprisingly modern alternative for dinner out for the holiday —supplying Sardines with fennel and parsley, Veal Tongue with Salsa Verde, Poule Rouge with pomme frites and roasted baby carrots, and Flourless Chocolate Cake paired with scoops of honey ice cream.
Read MoreOrchard Grocer
What’s a kosher-eating vegan to do on Passover? This just-opened, “cruelty-free” grocery has got you covered, with carrot “lox,” kale salad with chickpea croutons, seitan steak, gelatin-free marshmallows, and non-dairy soft serve ice cream.
Reserve Cut
This high-end steakhouse happens to be entirely Kosher, which means you can have your run of a menu including Apricot, Artichoke and Sautéed Ramp Salad, Yellowtail Carpaccio, Cote de Boeuf with bone marrow, and Crème Brulee with meringue and passionfruit custard cream.
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