Farnatchi Gourmet Oven

My favorite thing at this charming little Middle Eastern-slash-pizza place is its unusual hamburger. The highly seasoned patty has chopped onions and peppers blended into the meat, and a slice of mozzarella buried in it that melts gooily as the burger’s grilled. Served on a good kaiser roll spread with a harissa-flavored mayonnaise, it’s loaded with lots of arugula and ripe sliced tomatoes. The burger comes with lentil soup, salad or roasted rosemary potatoes. Bring your own wine; it’ll go well with this one.
(Full review)

Starting with its odd name, Farnatchi Gourmet Oven piqued my curiosity – not in a good way. Was it a family name? A made-up name? What did it mean? Then there was the storefront window advertising "PIZZA CALZONE PASTA," often a tip-off to a cheesy pizza joint ... But this little upstart turned out to be full of delightful surprises, from bruschetta dusted with za'atar, the sumac-and-thyme-based Middle Eastern spice blend, to lovely, lilting Middle Eastern music, to thoughtful extras, such as nice wine glasses if you BYOB. (Full review)