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Sawa’s bread oven produces a variety of breads to accompany its Lebanese dishes. Photo by Francesco-Sapienza, courtesy of Sawa

That’s why when Lebanon-native Samaya Boueri Ziade decided to open a restaurant honoring her home country, she felt strongly about staying authentic and true to Lebanese culture. Still, she wanted someplace modern and elegant, that would fit in in Park Slope, the neighborhood she has called home for 20 years, and yet was missing an authentic Lebanese restaurant. Ziade only began cooking after she left Lebanon, as a way to remind herself of home, taking classes and running a few popups until the pandemic hit. When her brother, George Boueri, moved to Brooklyn around seven years ago, he eventually decided to join her project on the business side. When the two decided to hire a chef they could share Ziade’s recipes with, they landed on Soroosh Golbabae, an Iranian chef who had cut his teeth at Gramercy Tavern, Sofreh, and Eyval since moving to the U.S., and was happy to discover the similarities and differences between Persian and Lebanese cuisine.

Sawa, which means “together” in Arabic, features a menu of Lebanese classics with a contemporary perspective, combining Ziade’s recipe trove filled with the spices and flavors from the region, along with ingredients from local farmers and producers and Golbabae’s years of technique and professional expertise. Below, Ziade and Golbabae discuss five dishes from Sawa’s menu so diners know what to expect — and what to order.

The post How Sawa Celebrates Lebanese Cuisine and Tradition in New, Unexpected Ways, in Five Dishes appeared first on Resy | Right This Way.