If
the soaring cost of travel has but a dent in your wanderlust aspirations, a new
in-town restaurant might offer a fix without taking a trans-Atlantic flight. Embracing Greek, Moroccan, Israeli, and
Turkish flavors, the Fifth Group's new Ela the directs the current of
Pan-Mediterranean cuisine into the Virginia Highlands neighborhood with meze (Middle
Eatern appetizers pronounced meh-zay) like Persian labneh, smoked eggplant dip,
hummus, Moroccan hot chicken, and savory lamb and spinach-feta "Hot Pockets." Entrees include a luscious Lamb Kofta Burger, Mythos
Beer Battered Cod and Indian River Pompano. For dessert you must try Ela's
Greek "Donuts" with cinnamon, sugar and cardamom custard. Also, brunch just started serving featuring a
personal favorite, Shakshuka, an Israeli dish of baked eggs, tomato, cumin and
labneh. Ela fits into the neighborhood
perfectly, like it's been there for ages even though it's the new kid on the
block.
