way out…west? octavia’s porch

whenever i think of ethnic food, i imagine dishes that are earthy and intense, with distinctive flavors that by sight and smell and taste remind someone, somewhere abroad, of “home.” when i think of korean, indian, filipino, japanese, italian, i can think of 1, 2, 3 flavors at least that mark the meal as a sensory experience, and it doesn’t have to be pleasing to everyone (kimchi is my kryptonite). perhaps it is an affinity for most strange or stinky or the most intolerably fishy or salty thing that separates the natives from the rest?

so, i went to octavia’s porch, a restaurant that celebrates global jewish cuisine–as they describe it, encompassing eastern europe, south africa, morocco, spain, portugal, italy– with some expectations: a punch of lemon, rich and thick tahini and beans, nut and olive and dried fruit accents, and dill. i expected smoky preparations and pickled sides. but i suppose more than anything, i expected the fare to be good and hearty. the culture references were wide, and the thoughtful menu presented one deliciously hard choice after another.

but as much as i enjoyed the selections my friend rachel and i made during our first visit, the modern, fresh, but lightly flavored fare reminded me of only one place: california.

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“a schmear” – white bean, lemon and chive dip, with an assortment of homemade breads.

i love white bean dip, but think it needs one dominant flavor added to it, to bring it to life. my sister makes a family favorite that’s heavy on garlic and rosemary. this one could have used more lemon, more chive –and maybe a dollop or two of tahini to give it a richer note. and a bit of sea salt.

duck and sweet potato hash: i had high hopes for this one, because it’s rarely a bad combination. the problem here is that it’s not a hash. these finely prepared components were mixed, but not married. and they were barely salted.

red quinoa salad green beans, pumpkin seeds and citrus: this is perfect. a must have,  again and again.

here you have nutty grains, crunchy green beans,  juicy fruit, mingling with a perky reduction–i think balsamic.

salmon & scrambled eggs on rye with lime creme fraiche, cinnamon-honey roasted tomatoes.

call this one the beauty queen: pretty, stacked…not much else…

here’s where we realize a pattern: as with the other dishes, there is imagination and hints of technique here, but a really weak instinct for seasoning. the salmon is gently poached,  but the skin wasn’t crisp or salty;  the eggs tender, but also wan. i was principally sold on this dish for the cinnamon-honey roasted tomatoes, but i think i missed the sweet spices entirely? the creme fraiche was plain wrong:  it was too limey, too sweet (it reminded me of cheesecake) and too thick to spread. what was i supposed to spread this on anyway? the rye toast was to delicate and dry to handle it. this assemblage badly needs something to unify it, to make all these elements become one dish.

but: there is a big finish, in the form of banana challah bread pudding. it is beautifully realized. the slices of fresh banana that live inside this loaf, and are caramelized on top, give a clean flavor.  i prefer this to other banana bread puddings made out of, well, banana bread. the fresh fruit does the work of amping all the flavors here. in the pudding itself there is lightness–and it’s a surprise here, too. but it’s a right one. love the slivers of fresh mint, too.

i feel a little bad writing some of this now– i had a lovely time with rachel and we cooed about the meal as it was happening, talked enthusiastically about coming back… only in retrospect did i realize what was missing, for me. sure, the dishes we had lacked the strength and depth to “transport,” but there are still good things at octavia’s porch. and with so many other intriguing dishes on the menu, i still think it’s worth booking a return.

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octavia’s porch is at 40 avenue b, new york 10009 (bet 3rd & 4th st)