NYCReview
photo credit: Kate Previte
Port Sa’id
Included In
Filled with a sea of tables covered in brown butcher paper, Port Sa’id is a cavernous place with a mile-long bar, a listening lounge for vinyl nerds, and a DJ booth flanked by speakers large enough to communicate with the outer reaches of our solar system. All of that is very impressive, but it’s not what makes this place exciting.
The second location of a Tel Aviv spot from the chef behind Miznon and Shmoné, this Hudson Square restaurant has a basic, winning formula: prices that don't make you want to cede the Greater Soho area to the current crop of TikTok creators, and simple food that has no business being as good as it is. Everything else is just a nice bonus.
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
Printed daily in Comic Sans, the king of all fonts, Port Sa’id’s menu reads like it was assembled at an ayahuasca retreat. Flowery descriptions promise “sourdough rocks,” “vegetable creatures,” and “a faint memory from the alleys of Jerusalem.” This prose may remind you of the last time you were forced to eat food inspired by a chef's childhood memories at Momofuku Ko, but don't hit the panic button. The dishes here aren't fussy. In most cases, they're not even complex.
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
A third of the menu consists of straightforward sandwiches on fluffy white bread, and most other options rely heavily on fresh produce. A beet carpaccio topped with shaved horseradish is easily greater than the sum of its parts, and a baked potato stuffed with crème fraîche will make you want to move Scarsdale, throw away your iPhone, and live off the land. There are regular cameos from schug and tomato seeds—notably on some luxurious roast beef—and you'll see dill, mint, and parsley everywhere, as if the restaurant gets a tax break if they use enough herbs.
Bring a group, split a bunch of things, and chat over an all-vinyl soundtrack compliments of the nightly DJ listed at the bottom of the menu. Almost all of the dishes costs less than $20, which helps explain why Port Sa’id feels like a block party, even on a weeknight when the area is otherwise deserted, aside from a few fintech folks walking their golden retrievers. After dinner, head to the hidden bar in the back and bathe in some ambient music while you reflect on all the tahini you just ate. You can buy a few records there, which is another little perk.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Kate Previte
Burning Potato
Eggplant
photo credit: Kate Previte
Charred Beetroot Carpaccio
A Pile Of Tomatoes Emulsified In Its Own Blood
photo credit: Kate Previte
Bread Salad
photo credit: Kate Previte
Rib Eye Roast Beef Carpaccio
Sac De Coq
photo credit: Kate Previte
Lamb Shishlik
Juicy Lamb Kebab
Chicken Sandwich
photo credit: Kate Previte