[Kosher Review] REN Restaurant, Brooklyn YeahThatsKosher

Kosher bread has come a long way over the years. In the beginning, even having a place to eat outside of your kosher kitchen was an achievement. After that, the proliferation of delis and bagel places cemented the idea of ​​Jewish food on the American palate. Then we discovered pizza. Who doesn’t like pizza?

From there, the first Israeli restaurants started, followed by Chinese food (well, our version anyway). Then came the first steakhouses and other types of ethnic cuisine (we can’t live without our sushi). The most recent level are restaurants that add real atmosphere and high-end places move closer to their non-kosher counterparts.

And yet, kosher restaurants are still very well known if you sit down and look at the menu. That is until you sit in REN.

As the waiter explains the menu (don’t worry, it’s not long), you’ll see that you probably don’t recognize most of it. At the very least, you likely never have anything like that many options. But unlike many other kosher restaurants, this is not a situation where chefs are applying new techniques to cooking elsewhere. It’s not even a case of a chef making something kosher that hasn’t been made kosher before.

At REN, Chef Ronin Morad created an experiment where he invented many of the dishes himself. Coming from several Michelin-starred restaurants in France and Italy, Murad has also worked at some of the finest establishments in his native Israel, including the terrace at the Mamilla Hotel.

The menu at REN is an achievement that most kosher diners would not be able to appreciate. But the same would be true of a non-kosher patron. The difference is that people who don’t keep kosher have a long time to go to a restaurant like REN and many choose not to. For the kosher consumer, REN is the first door to a different kind of food. While there might normally be a big rush to try something new, potential guests should understand that not everything is for everyone.

When I was invited to REN and faced with the menu, it was difficult to choose what to start. If it’s a real chef’s invention you’re looking for, try Yafa Calvana. These are dumplings made from kohlrabi, filled with almond cheese and pistachios, topped with winter white radish and sesame seeds, and served with a kohlrabi reduction drizzled with chive-infused oil. The use of kohlrabi as a wrapper and sauce is great and the filling is made from some of the best imitation cheese I’ve ever had combined with a slight crunch of pistachios creating a perfect texture.

There is another appetizer known simply as tomatoes. The main course includes a multi-colored tomato and strawberry salad served on top of a tomato consomme gel. The dressing is made from herbs, chilies, pickled lemons, basil-infused vinegar, and fish sauce. It comes with a cigar filled with sundried tomatoes, tabasco, yuzu, and crispy rice and dusted on the outside with powdered cherry tomatoes. Last but not least is the sparkling tomato iced tea which is very strong and takes three days to obtain. The salad is light and has a great balance of acid and sweetness and the smoke is sour and spicy and pairs well with tea. Eating something like this is why you go to REN.

Lamb Bolognese Ravioli is very simple, but just as delicious. A large single piece of pasta rests in a stock made from morel mushrooms, while a few whole specimens of exotic fungi also settle in the bowl. Inside, the lamb is mixed with celery cream to mimic the dairy/meat combination that the Torah forbids. As someone who loves mushrooms, it was really something to enjoy using this famous breed that mostly grows on the scorched earth. The depth of flavor in the stock, as well as the texture of the mushroom itself make this dish worth it.

Beef tataki can be found on menus in the kosher world, but RENs version is unusual. Thin slices of beef are wrapped around tomatoes, shallots and parsley. This plate is a paradise for those who love variable textures. Not only is it topped with garlic chips and pita crunch, but it’s accompanied by dried slices of raw black tapioca plant. Get everything in one scoop for a truly balanced bite. The beef is seared perfectly on the outside and is extra flavorful due to being marinated in oil, thyme and rosemary for 45 hours beforehand.

The entries may be small, but they still have some real care and artistry. Buch Long Island is skin-on chicken breast slices served with apple and pickled mustard seeds and whole baby bok choy. While almost all the birds used in the restaurant are frozen (as the supplier makes only two runs a year), REN has its own suppliers that allow them to get the meat fresh. Between the aging process and not removing the skin, the texture and flavor make this the best chicken I’ve ever had. Apple and bok choy are a great pairing for sweetness and crunch, even if the duck is the star of the show.

If chicken isn’t your thing, try rack of lamb. The use of sous vide makes the lamb slightly less flavorful than other methods, and each bite creates a great mouthfeel that you’ll enjoy while you’re enjoying the oyster mushroom reduction that’s a sort of gravy. is coming. A smart addition to the plate is what looks like some multi-colored carrots. In fact, the orange poachers are carrots while the more yellow ones are actually carrot fennel purees delicately placed in the shape of a carrot. This is a great example of a chef using the plate as a canvas and a way to surprise and delight the food.

REN is an amazing experience, a beautiful atmosphere, and unlike anything the kosher restaurant world has seen before. If this sounds like something you need to see and enjoy for yourself, make your way there. If not, that’s fine too. There are many other places. One of the luxuries of kosher restaurants today is that there are options.

REN may be the only option in this category. But maybe that’s just because it’s the first.

Rain is located at 1471 McDonald Ave, Brooklyn, New York. It is certified kosher by Chizuk Hadas Kashres – Rav David Gurnish.

The Rain is open Sunday-Thursday from 5pm to 10:30pm.

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