Nestled on a quiet tree-lined section of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, Miss Ada is a spot you could potentially walk by without noticing. But you wouldn’t want to do that.
‘Miss Ada’ is a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern restaurant, the name is a play on the Israeli word for restaurant ‘misada.’ The root of the word, ‘sueda,’ means to come together as a family, or friends, for dinner and discuss your day together. This the ethos of Miss Ada; to bring a community together with appetizing dishes meant to share and connect over.
Miss Ada is on the Michelin Guide for Restaurants in 2020 dubbed ‘Bib Gourmand,’ which signifies high-quality food for a good price. With outdoor dining and take-out readily available in this pandemic madness, you have no excuse not to stop by.
Humble Beginnings and Home Grown Food
Located at 184 Dekalb Avenue in Brooklyn, Miss Ada serves up a fusion of delicious foods from all over the middle east. Chef-Owner Tomer Blechman, an alum of Bar Bolonat and Gramercy Tavern, opened up Miss Ada in 2017 to “one of the best food neighborhoods that he knows” in Fort Greene. Miss Ada is all about providing fresh, delicious, and whole foods for the community that reflect the ‘green’ lifestyle of the neighborhood. For instance, Blechman sources a lot of the ingredients used in the dishes at Miss Ada from the local farmer’s market.
Blechman was born in Israeli and came to the United States with a degree in acupuncture. Blechman wanted to transition into another form of healing and decided on food. A change in diet can heal ailments, can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and increase your lifespan.
Blechman realized how innovative it would be to create delicious food with a focus on wellness. Namely, all of the dishes come with vegetables that are puréed, and all of the meat is sustainably sourced. There is something on the menu for everybody, from meat dishes to vegetarian or vegan dishes.
The Low Down on the Menu
Miss Ada’s curated menu includes small plates ranging from eight to thirteen dollars. The selections include baba ganoush, whipped ricotta, and housemade labna. All starters come with pieces of warm pita bread drizzled with olive oil and herbs.
One of my favorite dishes at Miss Ada is their incredible skewers. Starting at nine dollars and going up to thirteen dollars, the skewers are a great dish to share. The menu has offerings such grilled halloumi with green tahini or short ribs with Israeli mole that just falls off the skewer.
Some notable dishes include the octopus, coming in at nineteen dollars, served with eggplant puree and charred peppers. Another favorite is the hanger steak that comes out with succotash and harissa. I love ordering steak at restaurants that aren’t a traditional steakhouse. There is such an amazing opportunity to explore flavors from different cultures. For instance, the steak at Miss Ada packs a punch with flavors and aromas of cumin and baharat – a traditional mix of middle eastern spices.
Dessert is also a must at Miss Ada. The chocolate babka is to die for. Think sweet, hot braided bread filled with pockets of gooey chocolate. Additionally, the menu also includes a full bar offering beer, wine, and handcrafted cocktails.
The Details You Don’t Need to Google – Cause I Did
Currently, Miss Ada is only taking reservations through Resy and all reservations are subject to good weather. There is sidewalk seating as well as a lovely garden patio in the back of the restaurant that is available for dining.
Outdoor dining hours are currently Tuesday-Friday Dinner: 5:30PM – 10:30PM, Saturday & Sunday: Brunch 11:00AM – 2:30PM, Dinner: 5:30PM – 10:30PM. All tables have an hour and a half for dining, which is more than enough when the dishes come out of the kitchen so quickly.
Get in on the Buzz
For a small hidden gem of a restaurant, some celebrity sightings have been caught on record. However, Blechman is humble about the buzz of the restaurant but indicates that they “had Jerry Seinfeld come in. He was very exciting,” as well as the Mother of Dragons herself, “Emilia Clarke from Game of Thrones.”
So take a leisurely walk on a Saturday afternoon, or take the train to Brooklyn, to this delicious restaurant that will transport you to flavor town.
