A Taste of the Levant -- Shukette NYC

To conclude an amazing 2024, I wanted to share with you a delightful experience at Shukette, located in Chelsea, NYC. The restaurant features dishes inspired by the Levant region, developed by chef Ayesha Nurdjaja, who is also the executive chef at their sister restaurant Shuka.

The open kitchen and vibrant colors in the restaurant are inviting, while the wood and tiles give the space a warm, welcoming feeling. Similarly, our waiter was incredibly hospitable and treated us as if we were old friends of his. The upbeat and fun music had me dancing in my seat, which most definitely added to the lively atmosphere of the restaurant.

To start off, we shared some dips and breads, as one would do at a Middle Eastern restaurant. We went with the labneh, which was garnished with saffron-soaked apricots, mint, honey, and pistachio; hummus with bang bang shata, a hot chili condiment; and fava bean dip with turmeric, pickled chili, dill, and kalamata olive. For breads, we selected the frena, a Moroccan bread baked over hot coals. Its fluffiness reminded me of focaccia.

A saucer of tangy pickled vegetables arrived shortly after the dips and bread. Turnips, kohlrabi, cauliflower, and green chili, dyed with turmeric and beets, colorfully blessed our sight but were gone in a matter of seconds! The vinegary, fermented flavors were packed in, and the crispness of the vegetables created such a pleasant mouthfeel.

Onto the warmer dishes… we ordered the braised butter beans that came with broccolini, Fresno chili, lemon, and parsley. This dish felt so luscious. The beans were soft to the touch and melted in the mouth. The flavor was slightly nutty but also herbaceous from the parsley. I really enjoyed this hearty dish, especially on a cold winter day.

I can never resist roasted cauliflower, so this was our next share plate. It came with pickled cherry, scallion, serrano, lime, tahini, and hazelnut. This was a winning dish, aside from the serrano not being apparent. The pickled cherry and lime added acidity and tartness to the dish, while the hazelnuts added texture to each bite. I literally scraped off the excess tahini and hazelnuts from the plate.

Given that my sister and I are vegan and vegetarian, respectively, we did not try the next dish; however, our company did. They received hot beef and lamb arayes straight off the grill. The crispy pita dish was served with white harissa and pickled cabbage. The dish looked beautiful and piqued my interest, as I had never heard of a white harissa before. This seems to be an emulsified sauce that uses similar spices to traditional harissa, such as coriander, caraway, cumin, and tons of garlic. Red chili and peppers are omitted, and the sauce is made with yogurt or tahini.

Following our savory courses, we decided to sip on some Turkish coffee, which also happened to come with Jordan almonds. The coffee was strong and smooth but also sweetened, which would not have been my preference. However, I still savored it.

Finally, our dessert, called “the mic drop,” came out. This is a tahini soft serve with pomegranate molasses, crushed hazelnuts, and halva floss. I absolutely love halva floss and wish that more Middle Eastern restaurants would use it in their desserts. It dissolves in your mouth just like cotton candy but has a smoother sweetness and nuttiness from the sesame. The soft serve itself was very subtle. I liked that it wasn’t too sweet and thought the pomegranate molasses added a punch. I do, however, recognize that not everyone would appreciate the pomegranate molasses, as it is quite tart and an acquired taste.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Shukette. The ambiance, music, waitstaff, and bold, delicious flavors made this spot incredibly memorable for me. Shukette delivered on all fronts, and I cannot wait to continue dancing in my seat once again!

⭐️ Rating: 9.1/10

**As a reminder, ratings are based on service, price, ambiance, and taste**