La Shukran is the newest and undoubtedly hippest restaurant by Michael Rafidi. Rather than the purer take on Palestinian fare evinced at Albi and Yellow, here the kitchen riffs on French and bar food. The results, while interesting and served in beautiful surrounds, feel less compelling than the more soulful food at the other restaurants.
My wife and I snagged a last minute reservation for 8:45 on a busy Saturday. We were not seated until a bit past 9, but the front staff was quite accommodating and cognizant of our situation so no harm no foul. We ordered drinks and found the libations tasty and inspired. My wife's sumac cocktail impressed us the most with its fresh flavor and distinct tang from both fresh citrus and the eponymous spice.
We ended up ordering six plates between the two of us, which was a bit too much food given how unexpectedly heavy some of the dishes were. Two of our initial selections ended up being 86'd, but this proved providential as the two items we ended up substituting ranked among our favorites. The hit of the evening was the lamb kibbeh nayah. The fresh, lean, and tender raw lamb was mixed perfectly with crackly wheat and garlicky toum. Served as lettuce wraps and paired smartly with pickles, the tartare evoked freshness. We also, unsurprisingly, loved both dips we ordered. I favored the escargots, which brought tender gastropods quite literally swimming in bright, herbed butter atop Rafidi's signature thick, creamy hummus. The crab with labneh balanced tangy yogurt with the bite of dill and sweet crab meat. These three dishes tasted the most straightforwardly Levantine, and would be at home on the menus of the restaurant group's other establishments.
The other three dishes we sampled did not fare quite as well. I would pass on the fries. While technically well executed with large spears of spuds bearing a shatteringly crisp exterior with fluffy innards, the flavor of the fries tasted fairly ho hum with a muted spice dusting and a somewhat flat green aioli. Because the frites were cut so thick, the dish ate very heavy. We enjoyed the hot quail dish, though this conveyed a more straightforward hot honey fried chicken rather than something Middle Eastern save for the tahini "ranch" dressing. The small bird was nonetheless well fried with juicy meat and a crunchy, flavorful crust. The lamb fried rice had a comforting taste with a good sweet-savory balance and a surprising wok hei, but the meat portion seems quite skimpy for a $26 dish.
The vibe here is a big part of the experience. The dimly lit, lounge-y space strewn with pastel pinks and greens as well as Arabic signage certainly transports. The room can get very loud and quite hot, so plan accordingly. Service here was accommodating and thoughtful. Our waitress sent us a falafel jibneh dish on the house since the kitchen ran out of our initial menu choices, for example. There was a noticeable lull between some courses, which may be why our reservation time was delayed a bit, but the ambiance merits a bit of a slower pace.
Overall, my wife and I enjoyed our meal here, though it lacked the at times revelatory, soulful taste journey we experienced at both Albi and Yellow. The menu here succeeds best when it hews close to the Levantine cookery Rafidi is known for, with ventures outside the Middle East somewhat less compelling. While we would gladly return, we are not quite clamoring in the same way we would to the group's other venues. read more