Dagon is the best new NYC restaurant of the pandemic
NY Post
Dagon is the city’s best new restaurant to arise out of the pandemic and my favorite new Upper West Side place since the millennium. A kaleidoscopic whirl through modern Israeli cuisine, where hummus and falafel meet the pungent pleasures of the Arab Middle East and North Africa, it hits the spot for a Manhattan craving something new and wonderful after many beloved places closed.
I flipped for the food in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Acre and Golan on a 2019 trip to Israel. Dagon’s sun-drenched flavor constellations brought back the pleasure. Plus, unlike many recent “openings,” Dagon is made for grown-up dining, with a comfortable setting and a civilized sound level. The well-trained, cheerful floor crew know their harissa from their horseradish. Transporting Dagon’s “Somewhere in the Mediterranean” theme to Broadway at 91st Street took two long years. Owner Simon Oren was ready to launch it in March 2020 when the pandemic struck. He began gearing up a second time when low-capacity indoor dining was permitted last Oct. 31 – but the door slammed shut again before Dagon could open.More Related News