This midpriced Williamsburg cafe serves up refined, modern versions of Middle Eastern fare, washed down with beer and wine, in date-ready digs with an open kitchen.
Zizi Limona, which opened in Williamsburg in September, cultivates an air of unhurry. As for the name: it is happy nonsense, invented by the owners, veterans of Middle Eastern establishments in Manhattan who wanted to be free of culinary or geographic limitation. Zizi Limona could be Israeli or Italian, a grandmother squeezing lemons on a sun-swamped veranda, a memory to keep you going through...
Morocco, Israel, and Turkey blend into one grandma-inspired kitchen. Dining space has cabin vibes, with plywood paneling behind the bar and long tables good for groups. Open shelves stocked with spices. Falafel, shawarma, hummus. Crispy phyllo dough stuffed with oxtail, sea bass with a lentil purée for more elaborate moods. Eggplant, tahini, and chickpeas all over the place. Malabi custard with...