Safta

Safta may mean “grandmother” in Hebrew, but there’s nothing old school about this restaurant, Chef Alon Shaya’s first outside Louisiana. Instead, this hot spot is located in the trendy Source Hotel. At first glance, it looks like you’re walking toward a coffee counter (and you are), but it wraps around to the restaurant and the kitchen. It’s all airy and upbeat, just like the Israeli menu that lists many favorites but feels original and interesting. There must be hummus, of course, but here it’s given a fresh take with roasted chanterelle mushrooms and chermoula butter served with freshly baked pita. Next up is a selection of salatim, or pickles and spreads, followed by a panoply of dishes ranging from harissa chicken, duck matzo ball soup, and short rib-stuffed cabbage to pomegranate lamb shank.