"Fans of the Mediterranean Levantine cooking at Balagan, which closed in 2022, will find the same spirit and flavor at Kapara, which took over the space and is also run by the JLM Group. Head chef Zohar Sasson continues the same theatrical serving style and incorporates many of the same influences that made the original restaurant popular, but she applies them to a new selection of shareable dishes — though the crowd-favorite polenta with wild mushrooms and Parmesan, and the Frenavon bread do return from Balagan. Among the highlights are tortellini mixed with shabzi (Iranian vegetable stew), chicken koftas spiced with smoked paprika, pan-seared sea bass with chickpeas in za’atar yogurt sauce, and olive oil chocolate mousse sprinkled with fleur de sel for dessert. As was true at Balagan, seats at the chef’s counter deliver an energetic experience. Located in the 1st arrondissement." - Lindsey Tramuta