Kadima means “let’s move” or “keep going” in Hebrew, which Chef Michael Solomonov believes captures the essence of sandwiches: quick; in and out; continue on with your day.  Maybe that’s why 95% of lunch customers order a sandwich at Zahav.  Or perhaps it is the incomparable value of eating a James Beard acclaimed chef’s food for just $10.

Israeli cuisine is decidedly more robust than falafel and hummus.  In fact, Israeli food is a combination of dozens of world influences brought to the region by individuals and communities that have come to settle in the Holy Land.  Romanian and Balkan food coexists with Yemeni and Moroccan cuisine; as immigrants flood into Israel, they bring their native cultures and flavors with them and Israel has developed a diverse and multicultural national cuisine.

Laffa bread, which is similar to lavash or pita, is baked to order in a 700-degree wood burning oven that gives it a unique character and flavor: aerated, puffy, dense but not delicate.  The wood oven, which is seldom used anymore even in Israel, imparts a soft but crisp texture to the bread.  The dough is not totally uniform – thumbprints are a must in order to get that bubbled, crackled texture that is darkened in spots but still pliable, so that it bends and stretches as it rips apart.

The sandwich menu includes the Gibraltar (swordfish), the Turk (ground beef), the Galil (eggplant), the Sabra (chicken), and Monsieur Merguez (lamb).  Though the featured ingredients change, each sandwich is fired over screaming hot coals and served with Zahav’s speckled green tahina full of herbs (parsley, dill, chives, mint), sesame paste, garlic, cumin, lemon juice and salt.  The creamy spread has a deeply nutty and vibrantly herbaceous flavor, full of healthy natural oil.  Sandwiches are served with well-done Israeli pickles.

The Sabra consists of grilled chicken skewers, or shishlik, that are marinated in an onion marinade that tenderizes the meat and caramelizes over the hot coals.  The sliced onions are seasoned with sumac that gives a mildly sour flavor that plays off the sweetness and smokiness of the grilled chicken.

Zahav’s juicy North African Merguez lamb kebab is made with garlic and a spicy harissa, and is served with matbucha (a cooked pepper and tomato salsa) and the creamy herbed tahina.  The richness of the meat is balanced by the depth of the two sauces and the dense but light laffa that crackles with each bite.

Chef Solomonov revealed a few details about his next project, Percy Street Barbecue, scheduled to open this October.  The Texas BBQ restaurant will be very casual with a Southern bluesy feel.  Percy Street has two wood smokers being delivered from Texas so the meats will get that unmistakable smokiness that comes from slow cooking over oak and mesquite for 24 hours.  Percy Street will specialize in dry BBQ, notably brisket, and also pork shoulder and pork belly (which we hope turns into a sandwich.)  Homemade sausages, spare ribs, and chef Erin O’Shea’s corn bread got our mouths watering, and the promise of Yards Root Beer on draught nearly buckled our knees.

And when he’s not working on barbecue or eating a simple hummus and laffa sandwich at Zahav, Chef Solomonov enjoys the Vietnamese sandwiches from Viet Huong, particularly the char broiled pork banh mi.

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Zahav
237 St. James Place, Philadelphia PA 19106 (Google Map)