At a time when kosher and Israeli restaurants around the world are dealing with anti-Semitic attacks on an almost daily basis, it is exciting and encouraging to discover the opposite cases – news of Jewish eateries being praised and praised, by merit rather than kindness.
One of those intriguing culinary institutions is Lehrhaus – a place defined as a "kosher Jewish tavern" that opened last spring in Somerville, Massachusetts, USA, near Boston. Last week, Esquire magazine included Lehrhaus in its list of the 50 Best New Restaurants in the U.S. for 2023. This is actually the first kosher restaurant ever to make it into the prestigious ranking, which has been published for 41 years and enjoys extensive media coverage. Respect.
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In a paragraph describing Lehrhause on Xavier's list, the writer, Joshua David Stein, praises the place's unique menu, which is influenced by Ashkenazi and Sephardic cuisines and includes dishes such as herring tartine with pickled peppers, fish and golden chips (pollock) accompanied by amoeba vinegar and ragweed aioli. Also on the menu from Chef Alex Artinian and Chef Noah Klickstein: Kegel Macaroni and Cheese; Hamindos style stuffed eggs ("debild pear") with pickled mustard seeds; chopped eggplant (on a heavy standard) plus hot pita; the "Tribe of Dan" cocktail produced from nitter kebaba (Ethiopian spiced butter), rum, banana and pineapple; and desserts such as Sunday, Halva ice cream and vegan pumpkin kadaif.
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It should be noted that in addition to the rich Jewish-spiritual gastronomic experience, no less rich spiritual lessons, workshops and lectures take place and are heard within the walls of Lehrhause, among them "How to write a Jewish joke", "Cool Hanukkah songs" (it sounds better English, thanks to a pun with the slang word "lit", meaning "exciting" and also "enlightened"); and "How Hanukkah Got to the White House."
Joshua Foer, one of the restaurant's founders who is also a journalist and author, told Boston.com website, "One of the things we're most proud of is that it's not just a place for Jews, but for everyone. Especially at a time when there is so much anti-Semitism, we are proud to have a place that illuminates and presents the world with the best of Jewish culture." There is definitely something to be proud of.
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