User's Guide

Seder Gets Spicy!

Don't have a rabbi handy? Levana's got you covered.
Don’t have a rabbi handy? Levana’s got you covered.haha Photo: A.J. Wilhelm and Carmen Lopez


Happening as they do at Uncle Marty’s and in church basements, Seder meals aren’t usually known for being very tasty. But if you’re not worried about the meal being kosher — we won’t say anything to Marty — you can go out and have an Italian, Mexican, or even Indian Passover celebration. Here’s where to go.

Tabla’s “Unleavened Bread Bar” returns on April 3, at 7 p.m.. The three-course meal consists of gefilte fish, brisket doctored up with goan masalas from the West coast of India, and a matzo-crust cheesecake for dessert. Adults pay $90, and kids get in for $50 (plus tax).

The Rosa Mexicano restaurants will be serving Mexican-spiced Seders April 2 through 7: They’ve got roasted jalapeños flavoring the matzo-ball soup and chipotle chopped liver served with “chicken chicharrones” (a.k.a. gribenes) and tortillas. For dessert there are egg creams made with U-Bet syrup.

The Alicart restaurant group is offering a traditional Jewish Seder at Artie’s, a Mexican meal at Gabriela’s, and an Italian celebration at Carmine’s, featuring chicken soup with dumplings and egg and roast chicken with orange, lemon, and ginger.

On April 2 and 3 Capsouto Frères will host a Sephardic-, rather than Ashkenazi-, style dinner. (The former centers on the Iberian Peninsula, the latter Eastern Europe.) You’ll get a leek, spinach, and zucchini frittata, poached salmon, the egg, cheese, and matzo lasagne called mina, and a different Israeli wine with each course. (There will also be a full service led by a cantor.) It’s $125 and benefits the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

Levana, your one kosher option (Glatt kosher, in fact), is offering DIY meals and ones overseen by rabbis on April 2 and 3. Everyone’s eating Cornish game hen or prime rib, drinking wine, and paying $115.

Seder Gets Spicy!