Miriam: Middle Eastern Fusion in Park Slope
Apparently there is such a thing as contemporary israeli cuisine and one of the foremost (if not the only) practitioners of the genre is located on Brooklyn’s latest restaurant row, Fifth Avenue in Park Slope. New York Magazine gave the restaurant, named Miriam, a go last week and liked what it saw (or ate, that…
Apparently there is such a thing as contemporary israeli cuisine and one of the foremost (if not the only) practitioners of the genre is located on Brooklyn’s latest restaurant row, Fifth Avenue in Park Slope. New York Magazine gave the restaurant, named Miriam, a go last week and liked what it saw (or ate, that is). It sounds to us like it’s worth a visit:
Despite its ambitious food, Miriam clearly aspires to be an unpretentious neighborhood spot. The service is friendly and unfrazzled, and thanks to what must be the most efficient busboy-runners in all of Brooklyn, astonishingly quick. But you’re still welcome to linger—over a silky halvah mousse, with pistachio halvah crumbled on top, or a bottle of Israeli wine, which Miriam pointedly lists under the South Europe designation, alongside affordably priced selections from France, Spain, and Italy. With that sort of globally informed, culinarily sophisticated outlook—proud of its heritage but not enslaved by it—Miriam isn’t only elevating Israeli cuisine. It’s reinventing it.
Who’s been?
Helluva Halvah [NY Magazine]
there are dozens of better, more “authentic” isaeli restaurants in midwood, sheapshead bay, mill basin, etc.
“please don’t try to mask your Israeli restaurant under a “Southern European” label. Makes it sound like you are trying to confuse a bunch of spaniards, italians, greeks and turks”
riiiight like that is the intention to confuse actual southern Europeans. It would have nothing to do with the fact that israelis want to israel to be categorized as part of Europe and not part of the Middle East.
Its not the Europeans who are confused.
suzy you don’t make any sense
This restaurant is mediocre and over-rated.
I am Israeli, been to the restaurant, and thought it was just plain old average. Thought the service was a little bit Israeli in a way…i.e. slow and arrogant. That’s about all that was Israeli. What the hell is Israeli cuisine anyway? Last time I checked, Israeli cuisine was simply a mishmash of dishes from all around the world — much like what is served in this restaurant.
Oh, and if the restaurant owner is listening — please don’t try to mask your Israeli restaurant under a “Southern European” label. Makes it sound like you are trying to confuse a bunch of spaniards, italians, greeks and turks. Pathetic.
southern europe … southern europe … southern europe … this would be the height of pretention, but it can’t be, because it doesn’t make any sense.
geographically, culturally, and, partially, racially, there’s nothing to which to pretend.
what a world.
5:34 –
whoa! and they say israelis and their supporters get hysterical at even the slightest criticism. with measured, nuanced thinkers like 5:34 representing them, i can’t see how that rep ever developed.
5:34 –
and they say israelophiles get hysterical at even the slightest criticism.
i would offer comment linus but stipulation 1948-b of the patriot act (no criticizing israeli restaurants) precludes me from doing so. and i fear i’ve already said too much. in fact i was just jiving earlier. miriam is great, and the israeli tamales (in the southern european style) are to die for.