The lure of the East: it's mystified Westerners for ages. For Europeans, it was the Mediterranean and the Black sea that divided east from west; for modern Penn-ites, it's the Schuylkill. Fortunately, thanks to the energies of Penn grads Yis Tigay (SAS '99) and Georgia Vass (SAS '01), Middle-East and Philly-West synthesize in Philly's Shouk.
Tigay used personal experience (childhood stints in Israel, Arabic major, study abroad in Egypt, extensive travel) to shape his laidback, European-meets-Marrakesh smoking lounge. A blend of authenticity and accessibility enables the lounge to provide shades of home and a comfortable, available "exotic" to a largely international clientele, as Israeli pop, Indian Bhangra, and French hip-hop provide a soundtrack for casual drinking, dining, and smoking.
When I arrive for a late dinner, the sensually warm cinnabar interior is a welcome contrast to the October chill. Cut-out candle lanterns bedeck mosaic tables, silhouette sconces softly illuminate banquettes, and multi-colored tea lights glow from unexpected places. Thanks to a recent whirlwind renovation project, the air is tinged by sawdust and fresh paint - an unlikely counterpart to the heady, sweet smoke of the sheesa pipes and the spices wafting from the kitchen.
Fancying myself a blue-eyed Princess Jasmine, I recline in the crimson lounge chairs and turn first to the signature cocktails. Using the low lighting as an excuse for lowered inhibitions, I sample the Moroccan Martini ($7), a, er, rockin', fresh blend of Stolichnaya, lime, and fresh mint (think mojito meets martini); the Red Turk ($7), perhaps better suited as an "Angry Ottoman," a blend of Jack Daniels, amaretto, and grenadine robust enough to rile anyone up; and the Pomatini ($7), a positively seductive, deep ruby concoction complemented by a sugared rim.
Soon, one of the many attentive, informed servers brings Arabic tumblers filled with piping hot mint tea, and I half-expect to be fanned by palm fronds. In ordering, I abstain from the soups (potato and leek, chicken and vegetable) and salads (beet and citrus), and choose instead the homemade hummus with saut‚ed mushrooms and truffle oil ($6) - a recipe which Tigay himself spent two years perfecting. The rich, creamy take on a beloved staple is studded with pine nuts, topped with tender mushrooms in a subtle truffle dressing and accompanied by toasty pita triangles.
The mezza, or small plates, are meant to be shared, so indulge we do. The signature kubbeh (lightly fried, slightly sweet carrot dumplings that give way to a cinnamon ground chicken center and accompanied by a tangy sumac aioli) truly merit its distinction as Philadelphia Magazine's "Best Food You've Never Heard Of." The pomegranate chicken skewer is slightly underdressed ($7), but the rosemary beef skewer ($8) is chewy and hypnotically herby. The Halloumi cheese ($7) is fried and salty, balanced by cherry tomatoes, lemon, rosemary undertones, and lightly dressed greens. The chicken couscous ($9) is relatively tame, comparable to an olive, tomato, and almond catchatorie, but filling. The standout is a sweet and sour cauliflower, a perfectly textured, lightly fried, and sunflower seed-speckled dish akin to a Middle Eastern General Tsao's.
In lieu of dessert, we retire to the upstairs smoking lounge. A plethora of fruity flavored tobacco (from basic cherry to fresh cantaloupe) is available in two grades ($13, $17); high quality coals keep the thick smoke flowing, so that delicious lightheaded feeling that a double apple water-pipe inspires is not short-lived. Satiated and happy in a smoky fog, I see the world through rose-colored glasses (nevermind the room's scarlet color scheme). As if inspired by its Middle Eastern identifications, Shouk is like the fabled heroine Scheherazade: it satisfies while inspiring the desire for yet another night.
