Octavia's Porch: Traditional Jewish food gets a tasty global spin

Just in time for Hanukkah, Octavia’s Porch brings Jewish cuisine to the East Village. The restaurant (40 Ave. B, between 3rd and 4th streets), which opened earlier this week, features globally-influenced Jewish cuisine—there are flavors from Eastern European, Italian, and Mediterranean dishes. 

Diners can order from the full menu at a copper bar in the front section of the restaurant, but the real scene is in the dimly lit dining room. The décor features glass mosaics, chandeliers, and a painting on the back wall of the Roman Jewish ghetto after which the restaurant is named. Customers dressed in business casual attire sip fancy cocktails and listen to a soft rock playlist of The Smiths, Phoenix, and Stevie Wonder. 

The dinner menu features expected iconic Jewish dishes like matzoh ball soup and gefilte fish, but also puts a creative spin on familiar dishes, from duck breast with potato latkes to buckwheat tagliatelle served with roasted garlic, goat cheese, and radicchio. The head chef, former Top Chef competitor Nikki Castone, hopes to add nuance to New York City-based Jewish cuisine by incorporating foods with a range of origins.

Each plate celebrates Jewish heritage but offers a modern twist, providing food that is both interesting and delicious. It’s difficult not to fill up on the complimentary starter loaf of freshly baked challah bread, but make sure to save plenty of room for the rest to come.

The wild mushroom knish appetizer is not so typical, with its piquant mushroom flavor combined with fresh potatoes, soft bread, and a sweet yet tangy mustard sauce. The red quinoa salad, served with green beans, pumpkin seeds, and citrus is a delectable recommendation with its rich, balsamic vinaigrette flavoring and beautiful presentation.  

Next up is the main course—a brisket sandwich on rye bread with pickled red onions and cabbage, or roasted chicken with challah and date stuffing. The brisket is well-cooked and tasty but would be better served warm. The sandwich is served on wax paper, in the style of classic New York City delis. As for the chicken, fennel and pepper flavoring add a non-traditional kick to the tender, moist meat. The side of stuffing makes the dish like a Thanksgiving dinner re-worked for Hanukkah, and the dates offer a fruity flavor to offset the dish’s breadiness. 

Couples should be warned: the food is rich and the portions are sizeable. A party of two should order no more than one entrée and two appetizers if they want to have room for dessert.

The dessert menu offers sweets to both eat and drink with affordable prices ranging from $3 to $7. Highlights include house-made chocolate halvah bars, banana challah bread pudding with chocolate-ginger syrup, espresso egg creams, and, of course, traditional black and white cookies.

This Jewish outpost delivers high quality ingredients at reasonable prices—the most expensive entrée is tagged at $22. Cocktails run from $10 to $12, but exotic drinks like egg creams spiked with chocolate vodka and bourbon with apple cider prove too flavorful (and intoxicating) to pass up.

Students who enjoy traditional foods with an edge can get in on this globally-influenced Jewish cuisine while it’s still new in town. Octavia’s Porch emphasizes that Jewish food in New York City is more than just a deli sandwich.