Abe Fisher

Although I'm a New Yorker, my knowledge of Jewish cuisine is embarrassingly narrow.  Sure, I've tried the pastrami sandwich at Katz's Delicatessen (which is kosher style, but not actually kosher), enjoyed the bagel, cream cheese, and lox at Russ & Daughters, and had my fair share of Israeli salad at the Jewish community center I used to swim for, but I've never actively explored this ever-changing, multicultural cuisine.  What fascinate me most about the food of the Jewish diaspora is that, unlike most cuisines, it is not bound by geography. This is why in my opinion Jewish cuisine is probably the greatest culinary fusion to have existed; there are the Ashkenazi Jews who bring the foods of Eastern Europe, while the Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews respectively carry the tastes of the Mediterranean and Middle East.

It may seem ironic that my exploration is beginning in Philadelphia instead of New York, but it's all due to the genius of Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook, the owners of Zahav, a restaurant that specializes in Israeli cuisine.  I've been to Zahav previously and was blown away by the ingenuity and delicacy of each dish, so after finding out that the duo ran another restaurant called Abe Fisher, I knew I just had to check it out.  While Zahav focuses more on the Middle Eastern influences, Abe Fisher is a firm nod to the cuisine's of Germany, Russia, and the various Eastern European nations.

Although the food is inspired by old-school household and deli favorites, the vibe of Abe Fisher was hip, modern, and easy-going. We started off with a gift from the kitchen: potato chips with salmon roe, pickled cabbage, and a tiny dollop of sour cream. Crispy and savory, it was the perfect bite to start off the meal.

There were also complementary savory rugelach, one which contained rosemary and herbs and another which contained parmesan cheese. I've always been a fan of sweet rugalach, but I have to admit, these savory ones were the best rugalach I've had to date. 

For the small plate, we decided to go with a classic grandmother's-cooking staple: chopped liver.  Bad chopped liver is just plain bad.  It can have a chalky, grainy texture and an unpleasant bitterness. However, good chopped liver, like the version served at Abe Fisher, can be amazing.  The creamy liver was served on top of a pastrami-onion jam, with a side of pickled onions and buttery, toasted rye.  The jam added the perfect sweetness and the fragrant toast was so good we asked for seconds. 

Next came the Matzo Brei with smoked beef tongue, fried egg, and maple syrup.  The beef tongue was prepared two ways, one in which it was thinly sliced and another in which it was cubed like bacon.  The savoriness of the beef tongue was complemented by the maple syrup, while the yolky egg added a nice breakfast feel to the dish.  It was my first time having matzo brei, but this particular preparation gave it a bread pudding quality. 

The flight of food continued with Duck Blintzes, which were stuffed with duck confit and foie gras and garnished with fava beans and sour cherry. While the duck and foie gras filling was deliciously indulgent and rich, the sour cherry brought a tartness that balanced the overall dish. 

The last main dish was Farfel, a type of ground noodle dough that was cooked with roasted corn, summer truffle, and aged gouda. When the dish came out, we expected it to be heavy and creamy, but to our surprise, it was actually quite light.  The summer truffle, which reminded me of oyster mushrooms, had a sour, vinegary taste that broke up the heaviness of the melted gouda.  It was also my first time trying farfel and the overall preparation was reminiscent of risotto. 

Choosing dessert was a struggle, but we finally settled on the Sour Cream Panna Cotta with sour cherry, mini meringues, and lemon curd. The panna cotta was velvety and not too sweet, while the sour cherries and lemon curd provided a nice acidity.  

To end the meal, we were gifted two house-made sour cherry candies (notice the sour cherry theme). 

Dining at Abe Fisher was an even more memorable experience than what I had originally imagined. Although everything was a clear nod towards traditional Jewish cuisine, each dish was impeccably executed with grace and creativity.  It's definitely a place I would dine at again.