Kosher Miznon NYC Review
After the recent opening of a kosher Miznon in NYC by Michelin-starred Israeli Chef Eyal Shani, we knew we had to give it a try. In contrast to Eyal Shani’s other recently opened kosher restaurant in New York City, Malka, which is waiter service, the kosher Miznon location is more walk-in and walk-out kind of joint, though there is a decent amount of seating. As we have stressed previously, there are Miznon locations around the globe, including additional locations in NYC, all of which are not kosher, except for the single kosher location at 1410 Broadway in Midtown.
Our Initial Impression
We went to the kosher Miznon around dinner time a few days after opening, and the place was full. While the person taking orders was nice, it was apparent from the outset that the location was understaffed, in particular as it relates to the grill. From our view, there was only one person on the grill, which is seemingly odd as many of the items on the menu are grilled meats for the danwiches. The result is that we experienced significant wait times for the sandwiches ordered. To Miznon’s credit, though, they did make an effort to bring waiting customers some sliced pita bread with tahini and what seemed like some kind of green spicy schug.
The Miznon Menu
As can be seen in the photo of the menu, the items on offer are not very numerous. There are some interesting “In-A-Pita” options that we would like to try in the future, but we went with the “Rotisserie Broken Chicken,” though the “Rib Eye” and “Steak & Egg” looked tempting too. On the “Out-Of-The-Pita” front, “The Original World Famous Baby Cauliflower” is a Miznon hallmark. The chicken caught our eye with the mix of za’atar with tahini, and who doesn’t love rotisserie chicken?
The Sandwich
When we finally received the sandwiches we ordered, we have to admit we were displeased with how they looked. They were far from what Miznon is known for, which is overstuffed pita sandwiches, and it looked obvious that there was some severe rationing of the ingredients. Quite frankly, the sandwich looked “anorexic and sad.” On the positive side, the pita was fluffy and tasted fresh, and the chicken and spices were similarly fresh and hearty.
Benchmarking Miznon Kosher Vs. Non-Kosher Locations
We are no strangers to the realities of the kosher food and restaurant landscape, including the higher prices and overall challenges that make running and seeing success as a restauranteur even more impossible than it already is. That said, we found it curious that Eyal Shani has said he wants to be inclusive of the kosher consumer, yet the mismatch between the sandwich size of the kosher Miznon location vs the non-kosher Miznon’s seems obvious. That said, and to Shani’s credit, the pricing is similar, and perhaps the added cost is accounted for with the “anorexic” sandwich size. Still, too often, we see that the kosher consumer is taken for granted as they are at times viewed as a “captive audience” who should just be thankful for their options. In our view, the sandwich differential between the Miznon locations is another unfortunate example of this dichotomy.
