Sami & Susu — Restaurant in New York

My friend and I enjoyed dinner here last night, and I’d certainly come back again. The place is very small but cute and even romantic. A great place for a date! They only serve wine, but the list is extensive and thoughtful. The food was well portioned and tasty. We ordered the stone fruit salad, which was a fave of the evening. The tomato panzanella salad was fresh, but I’ve been told that it’s not a “true” panzanella from my Italian husband. I still through it was tasty! Both were very large and could easily fill two people. I had leftovers to take home! For entrees, we shared the lamb kebab and the half chicken. The lamb kebab was actually more of a kofta, it was ground meat formed into a large meatball. This is not actually chunks of cooked lamb. I thought it was very tasty but seemed slightly undercooked. Not enough to send back, just putting that out there. It was served on caramelized onions and peppers with fresh parsley. I enjoyed it but wasn’t over the moon. The chicken I actually didn’t like, but my friend did. First, it was a bit dry. Second, the sauce was overly rich with a sauce that tasty almost cheesy. This was probably from the foie gras, which I didn’t think was necessary. I took a few bites and went back to the lamb. It was a super heavy dish and didn’t sit well with me. But to each their own. Overall we had a nice time in this intimate spot. It’s so tiny in fact that you need to walk through their kitchen to the restroom! I’ll be back to enjoy some wine and try other options. Plus that stone fruit salad was...

UPDATE: Thank you for your reply, our party of two was not in a rush by any means. This was an experience I will never forget, it is okay to be humble and not blame shift! Best of luck :)

I had the opportunity to visit this establishment yesterday, and while the initial experience started off well, I regret to say that our visit took an unfortunate turn due to the behavior of one of the staff members, specifically a middle-aged lady at the front of the house. Initially, everything seemed fine, but we encountered an issue with one of our main courses being overly salted. Though the dish was cooked tenderly and would have been delightful with the proper seasoning, we felt compelled to send it back. Following our decision not to have the dish remade, the atmosphere changed; the lady in question seemed eager for us to leave, passively suggesting as much by prematurely bringing our check while we were still enjoying our other dishes and drinks.

When the time came to settle our bill, I approached her with our cards, only to be dismissed because she was occupied with a conversation, indicating she would attend to us later. Thankfully, another waiter stepped in shortly after and assisted us efficiently, which was a relief.

I'm disheartened by this experience, as it could have been approached with more understanding and professionalism. Despite this, I wish the establishment all the best in the future and hope they can view this feedback as...

On an island of viral flame-out hits, impossible-to-get reservations, and hours long lines, Sami & Susu is exactly what New Yorkers want and need: the well-reviewed (Michelin BG) but not-yet-viral place with unerringly delicious food at a really good pricepoint. To boot, it's no frills but chic and small. Great for a date or intimate dinner party with friends. A stellar wine list and digestifs mean its fun too.

I've been 4 or 5 times over the past couple years. The menu changes seasonally and I've loved every iteration. The matzo ball soup (not on the menu recently) was the best chicken soup I've ever had. The muhamarra - I could bathe in and/or drink a gallon of. The panzanella this summer, divine. Follow your heart with the food - they know how to shop at the farmers market and they know how to season food. The head chef touches every dish that comes out 6 nights a week - quality and consistency. Whatever's on the menu, it's hard to go wrong. The shrimp bourekas a couple weeks were the only underwhelming dish I've ever had there (- good to know they're human, though!). The wine is mostly (all?) natural, funky and fun.

Sami & Susu is one of those places I've only been telling my best friends about because I still want to make a week-of or even day-of reservation, but I think it's only a matter of time until this place catches on...