People love stories and there are no shortage of these at Miznon, a buzzy new Israeli street food venue in Soho. Take the humble pita bread. Eating it at Miznon, the luridly-hued menu tells the diner, is “about recreation, not assembling.” Something may, of course, have been missed in translation. Regardless, whatever else Miznon loses, it more than makes up for in terms of chutzpah, that wonderful Yiddish idea of extreme self-confidence and audacity.
Miznon is the child of Israeli celebrity chef Eyal Shani. From opening his first restaurant in Tel Aviv in 2008, he is now a judge on the Israeli version of Masterchef and has a business empire that covers Paris, New York, Melbourne, Vienna and most recently, London. If you haven’t been to Tel Aviv (which your reviewer has fortuitously been doing for many years), then prepare yourself for Miznon. It’s very informal and slightly haphazard – it’s hard to tell the staff from customers – but kind of works. The walls are graffiti covered, there’s hip hop on the stereo and the menu comes on a (not necessarily clean) piece of A4 paper.
Miznon has gained a cult status in other cities for its ‘run-over’ potato and cauliflower ‘innards’ (both fairly self-explanatory), but your reviewer decided to stick to more obvious Israeli classics. First up was “the best hummus plate you’ll ever eat.” Or at least, that’s what the menu promised. It was good – even above average – but I’ve had better, certainly in Israel but also along the Edgware Road in London. Next came one of the restaurant’s much vaunted pita breads, the ‘meorav.’ This is not for the uninitiated or faint-hearted since said pita comprises chicken livers, thighs and hearts in a spicy tahini sauce. Wow, was all I could say – give me this to eat any day! If you’re of a more conservative bent, then there are hummus, falafel or lamb kebab pita options. Go way out, and you can even have Miznon’s take on fish and chips – inside a pita bread, of course. Maybe for next time. There’s also a handful of puddings and some interesting drinks including homemade spirits and mixers. Pricing is very fair (one could eat and drink for as little as £20/head). This is a place best experienced, as somewhere to relax, indulge and not take yourself too seriously.