Kosher dining has come a long way over the years. At first, even having a place to eat outside of the kosher kitchen was an accomplishment. Later, with the proliferation of delis and bagel shops, the concept of Jewish cuisine became firmly established on the American palate. That's where I discovered pizza. Who doesn't love pizza?
From there, the first Israeli restaurants started popping up, followed by Chinese food (well, our version anyway). Then came the first steakhouses and more varieties of ethnic cuisine (we can't live without sushi). The most recent level is restaurants adding an authentic feel and upscale stores approaching non-kosher stores.
Still, kosher restaurants are still well known if you sit down and look at the menu. That is, until I sat down at REN.
As the waiter explains the menu (don't worry, it's not a long one), you'll realize that he probably doesn't know most of it. At the very least, there probably hasn't been anything like most of the options before. But unlike many other kosher restaurants, we're not in a situation where the chef applies new techniques to dishes we've had elsewhere. Nor is it about a chef making something kosher that hasn't been made kosher before.
At REN, Chef Ronen Morad has curated an experience where he has created many of the dishes himself. A background in multiple Michelin-starred restaurants in France and Italy, Morad also worked at some of the finest restaurants in his native Israel, including the Rooftop of the Mamilla Hotel.
REN's menu is an accomplishment that many kosher diners cannot appreciate. But the same goes for non-kosher patrons. The difference is that people who don't keep kosher have long had the opportunity to go to restaurants like REN, but most choose not to. For kosher consumers, REN is their first gateway to a different type of dining. While there may usually be a rush to try out the latest thing, prospective buyers need to be aware that not everything is suitable for everyone.
When I was invited to REN and looked at the menu, I couldn't decide what to eat first. If you're looking for a true chef's invention, try Yafa Kalvana. These are dumplings made with kohlrabi, stuffed with almond cheese and pistachios, topped with white winter truffles and fennel seeds, and served with a smoked kohlrabi reduction with a few drops of chive-infused oil. . The use of kohlrabi as both wrapper and sauce is wonderful, and the filling is made with some of the best imitation cheese I've ever had, and the slight crunch of the pistachio establishes the perfect texture .
There is another appetizer simply called “Tomato”. The main plate features a colorful tomato and strawberry salad on top of tomato consommé gel. The dressing is made with herbs, chili peppers, pickled lemons, vinegar with basil, and fish sauce. The cigar is stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, Tabasco, yuzu, and crispy rice, and the outside is sprinkled with cherry tomato powder. Last but not least is the Clarified Tomato Iced Tea, which is extremely potent and takes three days to take effect. The salad is light and has a good balance of sourness and sweetness, and the cigar is crunchy and spicy and pairs perfectly with black tea. I go to REN to eat these kinds of things.
Lamb Bolognese Raviolo is much simpler, but just as delicious. A large piece of pasta is placed in a stock made from morel mushrooms, and several whole specimens of exotic fungi also live in the bowl. Inside, lamb and celery cream are mixed to mimic the Torah's taboo of dairy and meat combinations. As a mushroom lover myself, it was really special to be able to enjoy this famous mushroom, which is primarily grown in scorched earth, in this way. The deep flavor of the soup stock and the texture of the mushrooms themselves were very satisfying.
Seared beef is on menus even in the kosher world, but REN's version is special. Wrap the beef slices around the tomatoes, shallots and mounds of parsley. This plate is a paradise for lovers of different textures. Not only is it topped with garlic chips and pita crunch, but it's also served with dried and raw black tapioca. Get it all in one scoop for a truly balanced bite. The beef was perfectly charred on the outside and had been marinated in oil, thyme and rosemary for 45 hours before giving it an extra layer of flavor.
The entrees may not be huge, but they still feature genuine care and skill. The Aged Duck Long Island is a slice of skin-on duck breast served with apple confit, pickled mustard seeds, and a whole bok choy. Although most of the ducks used in the restaurant are frozen (because the supplier only ships them twice a year), REN has its own suppliers who can age the meat after receiving it fresh. Masu. The texture and flavor during the curing process and not removing the skin make this the best duck I've ever eaten. Even though the duck is the real star of the show, the apple and bok choy are a great combination of sweetness and crunch.
If you don't like duck, try the rack of lamb. Using the sous vide method, the meaty flavor of the lamb is slightly less than other methods, allowing you to enjoy the wonderful mouthfeel of the lamb while savoring the braised oyster mushrooms that come out as a kind of gravy. A creative addition to the dish is what looks like multicolored carrots. In fact, the orange part is a carrot and the yellow part is actually carrot-fennel puree delicately placed in the shape of a carrot. This is a great example of a chef using the plate as a canvas and using food as a way to surprise and delight diners.
REN is a great experience, beautiful atmosphere, and unlike anything the kosher restaurant world has seen before. If this sounds like something you'd like to see and experience for yourself, go there. If not, that's okay. There are many other locations. One of the luxuries of today's kosher restaurants, he said, is that there is choice.
REN may be your only choice in this category. But maybe that's because it's the first time.
Ren is located at 1471 McDonald Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. Chizuk Hadas Kashrus – Certified Kosher by Rav Dovid Gonish.
Ren's hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday from 5pm to 10:30pm.
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