NYC Restaurant Shukette Serves the Best Middle Eastern Dips and Breads | Eater NY

"Since 2019, this Chelsea spot run by executive chef and partner Ayesha Nurdjaja has been very busy, and it’s easy to see why: the bumping space is bright and inviting, the noise level is buzzing but bearable, and the food is bold and jam-packed with flavor, even on a Tuesday when the dining room stayed packed throughout dinner. I like to start with a bunch of the spreads (categorized as When You Dip, I Did, We Rip) and breads (Rip This): the thick, sweet-savory labneh comes topped with hot honey, rose-pistachio dukkah, and delicate cilantro, and the frena—a round, poofed-up bread topped with garlic and oregano—begs you to smear those cloves around. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the katafi-wrapped halloumi, but I’m glad I got it: two long slabs wrapped in thin, shredded filo deliver a satisfying crunch, best paired with the warming tomato jam. The fish in a cage is an entree must-have: a whole deboned porgy charcoal-grilled in a double-sided flat cage that becomes part of its presentation, with tender, light meat amped up by the side of Bang Bang Shata, the restaurant’s fiery hot sauce. To drink, the gazoz cocktails—a take on Turkish soda—are light and bubbly and available without booze; I enjoyed a sweet passionfruit one made with Cocchi Americano Bianco and Crémant Blanc de Blanc. For dessert, both soft serves—the Mic Drop with tahini and halva floss and the Grape Stomper with Concord grape sorbet and crunchy candied pepitas—are fantastic, so order the Swirl, a mix of the two." - Nadia Chaudhury