This week I had the privilege of going to one of my favorite restaurants as they brought back breakfast. Walnut Street Café, located at 2929 Walnut Street in Philadelphia is a staple as it has so many options and is close to where I live. While they feature many types of cuisines, they have finally brought back their Shakshuka! I had this dish about a year or two ago but then they took it off the menu. I wanted to go to Walnut Street Café for brunch on my birthday, and when I saw they had shakshuka back on their menu I immediately booked a reservation!
Shakshuka is a difficult dish to perfect. I have been eating it since I was four years old and have had many variations. I have tried it on the beach in Tel-Aviv with eggplant, at my grandmother’s home with spicy peppers, and I have had traditional Shakshuka at the Shuk in Jerusalem. Shakshuka is essentially poached eggs in a tomato sauce with herbs and spices. Typically eaten with bread and various side dishes.
The all-time best shakshuka I have ever tried was at a random restaurant on the beach in Tel-Aviv. The chairs were low and pushed into the sand, and the salty wind was blowing into my face. We ordered the original recipe which came out with a 5-inch loaf of challah bread. That restaurant does not exist anymore and it wasn't really much of a restaurant to begin with! We also took home a shakshuka sandwich which was made with crispy Tunisian fried bread called fricassee. It was absoluely delicious and I truly think about it at least once a week.
Like most Israeli foods, this dish did not originate in Israel. Shashuka, which translates to "all mixed up", actually derived from North Africa. When North African Jews emmigrated to Israel, they experienced finacial difficulties and shakshuka was quite affordable! Containing cheaper ingredients such as eggs, tomato, and bread; it was easily customizable using various vegetables.
Now, I am sure there are dozens of places in Philadelphia that have Shakshuka on their menu and make a great version of it! However, this shakshuka is truly one of the best I have had in an American food establishment. The eggs were a perfect consistency, runny enough where the yoke mixed well with the tomato base but not undercooked. The tomato base was well-seasoned and had a peppery kick which I really enjoyed. The serving dish was authentic from my experience with this meal which made me appreciate the effort of the establishment. The side of sourdough toast was honestly a bit shocking to me as I typically have shakshuka with Challah bread or baguettes, but the tang from the sourdough paired beautifully with the spice from the pepper and the sweetness of the tomatoes.
I really enjoy it when restaurants branch out of their typical cuisines and incorporate a new dish, however, many times the restaurant changes the dish too much or cannot recreate the dish in a way that honors it. Walnut Street Café did an incredible job perfecting its version of Shakshuka, making it it's own but keeping many of the traditional aspects to it which is very important. All in all, I recommend this dish to those who want to try an incredible shakshuka dish that is both authentic and its own at the same time.
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