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Snackbar management takes over Shouk
Snackbar management takes over Shouk
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A new sheik reigns over the snug kingdom of Shouk (622 S. Sixth St.,� 215-627-3344), and the first thing he did was banish the meat.*
Snackbar owner Jonathan Makar got involved with Shouk when his friend Yis Tigay, who opened Shouk four years ago before departing to start an internet company, gave him a call. Yis's former partner, the current owner, had gotten in touch, wanting him to breathe some life back into the place. Makar and Tigay came on as consultants, revitalizing the space, retraining the staff and installing a new all-vegetarian menu.
The result is "dark and cavernous and sexy," says Makar. "It's red. There's Israeli lounge music, and the servers really know what they're doing. The menu is just 10 or 12 vegetarian items, no fish, no meat."*
* (Ed: Shouk has since added a few meat items to the menu. See the comments for more details.)
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| All Photos l Felicia D'Ambrosio |
| Labneh yogurt dip; hummus with saut�ed mushrooms |
The hookahs, expertly packed with fruit-flavored tobacco by the servers, remain, as well as the cozy red couches and tile-topped cocktail tables. Simple Middle Eastern small plates favor spiced nuts, olives, lightly spiced carrot croquettes, a lemony labneh yogurt dip and hummus with earthy saut�ed mushrooms and olive oil.
Since the Snackbar crew has only been in the game for three weeks, expect more menu changes and an expanded cocktail list. The current drinks menu offers Sambuca & grapefruit, a Moroccan martini of orange vodka and fresh mint and a pomegranate juice and tequila concoction, backed up by a full bar and respectable, if small, beer list.
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| The dark bar |
Nice article. I went last night and the place looks great. They were serving a few meat kabobs when I was there, so it looks like something got lost in translation. But it is still a veggie-focused menu. BTW the food was great--especially the hummus and cauliflower.
Hmmm, interesting. Thanks for filling us in, Barry. Were your kabobs a special? Jon Makar had said they were going all-veg.
UPDATE: We just checked in with Shouk management, and it seems they have added a few meaty items to their super veg-heavy menu. Look for grilled chicken skewers, sweet and spicy chicken wings,grilled beef/lamb kebabs and a grilled rosemary beef skewer. Changes just went into effect last night (when Barry visited). Now I want more of the labneh dip.
[...] Snackbar’s management takes over Shouk and the meat is gone! [Meal Ticket] [...]
shouk used to be quite good. without question the best parts were the large and tasty menu, friendly people, interesting decor, and unpretentious vibe with live dj's... all of these things have been obliterated very quickly by the new "expert management" it makes me sad. plus no smoking? at a hookah bar? The new staff was extremely plentiful but unhelpful. i would have thought someone with so much restaurant experience would have seen the subtleties of what really made shouk a fun place to go. i hope they can make it someplace worthwhile again..
Shouk used to be a great place but after its been taken over by Snackbar management, it seems to have fallen apart. The difference is like day and night! Since its been taken over, it looks nicer but thats about it. No DJ and NO SMOKING??!!?? That doesn't make any sense to me... A different menu really put me off. It seems like they made it a place to just eat, not hangout. I really hope Snackbar management realizes that they don't know what they are doing and need to return Shouk to the wonderful, chill place it used to be! Once it does, let me know and I might swing by
I actually heard that the owner of Snackbar is not involved with Shouk anymore.
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