Ultimate Passover Dining Guide 2014
If you’ve grown up Jewish like we have, you know that most major events and holidays — both joyous and non — are thankfully commemorated with food. And Passover – which celebrates the Jews escape from slavery in Egypt – is no different. A highlight of the eight day festival, which takes place from April 14th-22nd this year, is the Seder; a feast of leavened grain-free dishes accompanied by plenty of wine. Not sure how to cull a craveable meal from a box of matzoh at home? Then eat out! Check out the terrific restaurants featured in our Passover dining guide, including Telepan, Balaboosta and more…
Balaboosta
While there’s plenty of excitement surrounding Einat Admoney’s recently opened restaurant, Bar Bolonat, Passover is best spent at her home-style Israeli favorite, Balaboosta. On April 15th, she’s teaming up with former A Voce chef Missy Robbins and pastry chef Mindy Segal of Hot Chocolate-Chicago, for an Italian-influenced meal accompanied by a live band and afikomen hunt. For $125 per person, you’ll start with an assortment of salads and appetizers, like Marinated Mackerel with pine nuts and raisins, and Leek and Swiss-Chard Cakes with poached quail eggs, followed by Chicken Vegetable Soup with artichoke scallion matzo balls, Brasato-Braised Short Ribs with walnuts, sweet garlic and dates, and a Petite Flourless Chocolate Cake with milk chocolate halvah mousse and smoked almond meringue. Jewish or not, this is a reservation you want to make.
Read MoreTelepan
We’ll forgo the Foie Gras Jammers at Telepan Local (but just during Passover) for the Seder-style menu at Bill Telepan’s flagship, Upper West Side restaurant instead. During April 14th and 15th, Telepan is offering four, holiday-inspired courses for $95, including an amuse of Smoked Trout Potato Latkes with chopped liver and a chutney-apple salad, Spring Vegetable Soup with matzo balls & dill oil, Arctic Char with glazed potatoes, candy beets and horseradish, Hanger Steak and Brisket with caramelized onions, wild mushrooms and mashed carrots, and a Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake with coconut sorbet for dessert.
Read MoreRosa Mexicano
A Mexican Passover meal? Why not? Rosa Mexicano is adding Latin flavor to Seder favorites for all eight nights of the holiday at each of their Manhattan locations. Festive menu additions include Matzoh Ball Pozole Soup with chipotle-marrow matzo balls, Matzoh-Breaded Chicken Breast with tamarind vinaigrette and salsa verde, Banana Leaf-Wrapped BBQ Beef Brisket with dried fruit Tsimmes and glazed baby carrots, and Sangria Haroset to wash it all down — Herradura blanco tequila combined with honey, cinnamon, lemon, cold-pressed apple, and a manischewitz reduction.
Read MoreShalom Japan
One of the most unusual restaurant openings this year was this Japanese-Jewish mashup in Brooklyn, appropriately dubbed Shalom Japan. Don’t get us wrong; these talented chefs, Sawako Okochi (of Annisa and the Good Fork), and boyfriend Aaron Israel (Torrisi & Mile End), never sacrifice good taste for shtick. You’ll want to save the Sake Kasu Challah for another day, but Passover-friendly options include Country Duck Terrine, Arctic Char with horseradish cream and beets, Pastrami-stuffed Chicken with cabbage and potato salad, Tuna Tataki with black tahini, and of course, a sparkling glass of “Oy Vey Iz Kir” – a glass of Manischewitz topped with NV Hungaria Grande Cuveé Brut.
Read MoreMiriam
In addition to serving one of our favorite Brooklyn brunches and offering a killer Meze happy hour, Miriam reliably executes one of the loveliest Seders in New York. Tel Aviv-born chef and owner Rafi Hasid’s a la carte menu includes a traditional Matzoh Ball Soup and Gefilte Fish platter, a Spring Salad of asparagus, artichokes and endive with apple-honey mustard vinaigrette, a Lamb Shank with haroset and tchuma pepper, Roasted Free Range Cornish Hen with carrot and parsnip tsimmes, and Horseradish and Dill-crusted Salmon with sautéed string beans and celery root puree.
Read MoreJoe and Misses Doe
We’re grateful that the recently revamped Joe and Misses Doe didn’t do away with their gleefully quirky, “Progressive” Passover Seder, taking place April 14th through the 16th this year. The $75 secular feast includes cheeky favorites, like Chef Joe’s Seder Plate with crispy chicken skin-topped Chicken Liver and Fried Matzo, Red & Yellow Matzo Ball Soup with herb relish and turmeric, Slow Roasted Brisket with spiced carrot and horseradish-potato pastelico, and assorted desserts like Macaroons, Brittle, Chocolate Matzo and Red Grape Sorbet. And Elijah will be especially appreciative if you leave him a cup of his namesake Punch, made with rum, manischewitz, soaked fruit, and “other holy things”!
Read MoreBack Forty West
Peter Hoffman’s longtime chef, Shanna Pacifico, may have left the Back Forty fold, but that hasn’t stopped the farm-to-table pioneer from throwing his annual Syrian-style Seder on Monday, April 14th. A relative steal at $85 (which includes wine pairings), expect a four-course, communal meal of appetizers like Livers with Celery and Allspice, Fava Bean Falafel and Matzoh Spinach Pie, followed by a salad of Pickled Turnips, Chickpeas and Beets, Lamb Koobe in Green Vegetable Broth with artichokes, lemon and mint, and a sticky Walnut Orange Cake with orange flower syrup.
Read MoreMason & Mug
Although this new, Prospect Heights hangout looks like any other casual-chic, Brooklyn small plates spot, it has a little secret; everything on the menu is entirely kosher. So if you don’t feel like cooking, make it your go-to for all eight days of Passover, for snacks like Spicy Chickpeas, Roasted Cauliflower, or Smoked Fish Boards, along with a clever Deviled Kale Salad with pastured egg, kabocha squash and miso, tasty, globe-trotting dishes, like a Banh Mi Sandwich with grilled tofu, pickled daikon, and carrot fish sauce, and a slab of (matzoh meal) Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting for dessert.
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