Tomer Blechman's Theodora opens today

Middle Eastern flavors, dry-aged fish and open fire cooking in Ft. Greene.

Hello friends, and Happy Friday!

I am so excited to share that Theodora is opening today! This is the third concept from chef/owner Tomer Blechman, the wonderful chef who owns Miss Ada in Fort Greene and its sister coffee shop and pita-to-go spot Nili in Carroll Gardens.

Tomer, as you may know, has cooked at Maialino, Gramercy Tavern, Lupa, and Cookshop, so he’s got some chops. At Theodora, he’s anchored his menu in the Mediterranean, but he’s going super seafood heavy, including a cool Charcuterie Fish Board adorned with anchovies, sardines, and other little fish. He’s also debuting a dry-aged seafood program—yup, he ages it for 3-7 days “to concentrate its natural flavors and bring out umami elements”— and he’s doing open-fire cooking. Very cool.

His small plates are nearly all from the sea: scallops topped with hibiscus, celery, basil and lime; hiramasa, with mint shug, husk cherry, habanero and crispy quinoa; fluke immersed with coconut turmeric, candied ginger and pickled fresno; grilled prawns marinated with tamarind, fennel and pea leaves; Spanish Mackerel with salmoriglio, tarragon and salsa macha; eggplant carpaccio with coriander and coconut, topped with orange zest; and Thai falafel with makrut lime, curry and pickled carrots. 

Mains include salmon belly with lovage cream fresh basil salmoriglio, fresno and mizuna; whole porgy butterflied with chipotle harissa and mango schug; whole branzino baked with rosemary, thyme, lemon and chermoula, and a lamb neck shawarma topped with rhubarb, amba, strawberry schug and tahini. YUM.

You can’t have a Middle Eastern restaurant without a great bread program and Theodora will not disappoint! Bread baker Christina Cavales (formerly of Sullivan Street Bakery, Milk Bar and Librae Bakery) is doing a full menu of Israeli breads including Jerusalem bagels, Kubahna, pita, and sourdough.

For dessert there’s a Baked Alaska finished in the wood-fire oven; a panna cotta with chemoy and mascarpone; a cheesecake with labne, pineapple and rum, and some ice cream. 

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The wine list by Maggie Dahill, formerly of Boston’s Oleana, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and Copenhagen’s Amass and Relae, is focused on natural wine (I mean is anyone NOT focusing on natural wine?), and features smaller, up-and-coming winemakers from around the world.

The beverage program includes cocktails named for legendary creatures and ancient gods associated with the ingredients. For instance, The Aristaeus marries tequila, feta, honey chamomile, and lemon, and The Cinchona combines vodka, Arak, espresso, homemade tonic, and amaro infused cream. I’m in.

Theodora is located at 7 Greene Ave., Brooklyn, NY, and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 5:00pm to 10:30pm for dinner. Reservations can be made via RESY. Follow Theodora @theodorabrooklyn on Instagram.