Israeli food is really having a moment in NYC right now, particularly in Brooklyn. I’m always here for it, but with everything going on in Israel, these restaurants can use our support now more than ever. Matt and Jen were in town and I was able to meet up for a quick brunch. They chose Reunion for two reasons: they knew we could get in and it was nearby some of their old neighborhood haunts. Somehow this place felt both busy and low key – a nice balance. It felt like you could jovially have a brunch drink or two without feeling like you were in a scene. Plus, the food was good.
We started with drinks – it was brunch, after all – so there was a round of cucumber spritz, bloody mary, and earl grey vodka special. I would have preferred a bit more strength (just a teeny bit) in the cocktails, but they were delicious and I really enjoyed their use of botanicals.
For entrees, Matt and Jen were on a veritable food tour and didn’t want to fully demolish their appetite so they split the shwarma (chicken, pickled cabbage, roasted potatoes, tahini, amba, zhoug) with added hummus and it was certainly plenty. I got the lah’maajun (Lamb ragu, feta, tahini, cilantro, sunny egg on laffa bread) and of course had to get some Israeli pickles for the table (which are a great addition to almost any savory dish on the menu – just pile em on top). It was a great order. I love a good savory brunch item that’s not just eggs and they hit that sweet spot.
Reunion calls itself “a love letter to Tel Aviv” and just like love letters evoke nostaligia and longing for a special person, this restaurant brought out those feelings for a special place.
Peaches to Apples 