Location: 487 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY
Cuisine: Israeli (Mediterranean)
Best Dish: The Salmon was prepared beautifully with crisp crunchy skin and tender flesh.
Price: $$$
Overall: After several years in business, Bustan is still a warm welcoming eatery with a stellar reputation and scrumptious menu.
Since its opening in 2014, Bustan has received much critical acclaim and several awards. We visited this den of contemporary Mediterranean cuisine back in 2014 for a divine brunch. Our initial impression of Bustan was that it is a warm inviting space. In the years since that visit, Bustan is still a warm inviting space but this time around, they’ve welcomes new chefs. New to the team is Executive Chef Eli Buliskeria and Pastry Chef Shir Rozenblat. With new chefs comes new menu options. The latest menu is a concise seasonal assortment of dishes curated to offer a mixture of flavors and textures that represent the flavors of Israel, Africa, and Southern Europe. The dinner menu features a few familiar favorites from the brunch menu, including their amazing Mazzetim platter which includes their delicious housemade bread and an assortment of spreads.
Mazzetim – Spicy Feta
Mazzetim is a must have for any visit. The bread is always served warm and fresh. You have the option of ordering one, two or all three of the spreads. This time around, we went with one of our favorites, The spicy feta. This spread is a flavor bomb of savory, sour, and spice that is delicious with the warm sweet bread. It is tangy with a sharp peppery finish.
Sizzling Shrimp
As the name suggests, this is a dish of tasty sizzling shrimp. The shrimp is served in a light fragrant sauce of garlic, olive oil, lemon, and peppers. The shrimp are plump and flavorful with notes of lemon and herbs.
Faroe Islands Salmon
The salmon pan seared and served with a generous helping of corn polenta and fresh broccolini. The was the favorite dish of the evening. It is a filling serving of warm sweet corn polenta and steamed broccolini. The contrasts of the crisp briny fish, sweet corn, and bitter broccolini made for an intriguing bite.
Lamb Terracotta
For this dish, ground lamb is shaped into oblong meatballs and baked under a flaky thin crust. This dish may appear intimidating at first sight but the filling is surprisingly light. This Israeli pot pie wasn’t as hearty as we had expected. The inside is mostly onions, peppers, and lamb. Devoid of heavy root vegetables, this is a good option for a light comfort food experience. It is also great for sharing.
Sfenj (Morrocan Donuts)
We ended our meal with a unique sweet treat. Sfenj is crispy deep fried Morrocon donuts. The texture is similar to the Mexican churro. The Sfenj were served with winter spice ice cream and caramel dipping sauce. The ice cream was one of the best we’ve had. It was silky smooth and just sweet enough. The flavor was a combination of pie spice and vanilla. The sfenj were served piping hot sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. The sfenj was the best way to wrap up a delicious dinner.
Over the years we have seen many restaurants come and go. With fierce competition and changing trends, the food business can be a fickle mistress. Thankfully our dear friends at Bustan are still going strong and growing every day. To date, Bustan has become a neighborhood favorite boasting awards for its wine selection, exemplary service, and Mediterranean delights. Do yourself a favor and make your way to Bustan for a tasty meal and see what all the fuss is about.
For more information on this upper west side gem, visit their website at www.bustannyc.com.
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