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Diners who just can’t wait to get a taste of Noosh, a closely-watched, not-quite-open Eastern Mediterranean restaurant in Lower Pac Heights, are in luck today. The restaurant is making its debut via delivery service Caviar, offering an initially abbreviated menu of kebabs, flatbreads, and spreads for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
At 2001 Fillmore Street in the former Thai Stick space, Noosh is among Eater’s national list of the most anticipated newcomers. The kitchen is led by Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz, a couple who bring experience from Saison, Mourad, Eleven Madison Park, and Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
However, for Noosh, they’re partially setting aside that fine-dining pedigree, offering casual, counter-service dining. By evening, though, Noosh will eventually serve a ticketed, fine-dining menu as well.
If that aspect rings a bell that sounds like Lazy Bear, it could be because Noosh partner John Litz co-founded the Mission’s acclaimed dinner party inspired restaurant with star chef David Barzelay. Noosh chefs Laura and Sayat, meanwhile, led a popular pop-up of their own, Istanbul Modern.
Noosh delivery is available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The menu features pork soujuk flatbread, and spreads like smoked labne with cucumbers and Aleppo peppers, red pepper muhammara, and warm babaganoosh (the spelling pun is intentional).
Other items are kebabs (like haloumi with a rose-honey and Szechuan peppercorn sauce, and lamb shoulder with za’atar spices and herbed yogurt) and a “Sabich Chubby Pita Sandwich” with hummus, eggplant, and an egg stuffed inside a puffy pita.
A truncated Caviar menu starts today, with a full menu appearing on the site starting February 10.
In debuting delivery before formally opening to the public, Noosh is somewhat defying convention. “It made sense to approach our different areas of operations and break them down into smaller bite size pieces, working through logistics one at a time,” said Litz.
Noosh’s pristine bar and dining room look ready to greet guests any day now, but for a full taste of the restaurant — featuring drinks like pistachio coffee, Georgian wine, and cocktails from Andrew Meltzer (2016 US Bartender of the year) — diners will have to sign up for a ticketed Valentines Day dinner later this month, or keep waiting with various degrees of patience.