Elisha opens in Great Neck

There's grocery store hummus, and then there's this hummus. Silken and nutty from the tahini, the chickpea spread is spiked with a vibrant green zhoug sauce of peppers and herbs. The spicy spread slathers beautifully on the fluffy pita bread. 

The hummus is a mainstay at Paprika, the acclaimed Israeli party spot in Great Neck Village. But now you can get it in a slightly more casual setting at Elisha, the couple's new order-at-the-counter shawarma spot in Great Neck Plaza. Owners Roni and David Zaken opened the concept in the atrium space that previously held Noir restaurant. (The smaller Noir bakery and cafe next door is still open.) 

The couple was looking for another kitchen to support their robust catering operation, because it was too much trying to run both businesses out of the Paprika kitchen. When they came to look and saw the large kitchen and table space in the front, they decided to add on a fast-casual kosher concept to make the most of the space. 

"When we took the place, we wanted to do something simple, but my wife, she has visions," David said. "She had an idea to make it a cinnamon color, like someone’s living room. ... We painted the walls, put in shelves. We added things that make you feel like you’re at home, with plants and flowers and statues." 

They named the restaurant after David's late father, Elisha Zaken, whom David credits with building "half of Jerusalem," including construction projects like The Hebrew University of Jerusalem back in their hometown. Elisha was also a food enthusiast who loved going to the open-air market, or shuk as it's called in the ancient city.  A portrait of Elisha commands the center of the room, framed by long minimalist shelves and their bohemian trinkets. 

The left side of the restaurant features two impressive shawarma spits behind a Chipotle-style counter of spreads and veggies. The chicken shawarma is made from legs and dark meat, while the beef spit is made from thinly-sliced Argentinian rib-eye steak with ground lamb fat to hold it together. 

"We just build it like a mountain, and we use the special spice for the shawarma, imported from Jerusalem," he said. "The spices they sell here in America are not strong enough and tasty enough to make a good shawarma." 

Elisha's menu is small and concise, with build-your-own shawarma that you can get wrapped in laffa bread, tucked into pita pockets or as a plate. Each option comes with an array of flavorful salads and spicy condiments. But the more popular item during a recent visit was actually a chicken schnitzel sandwich in a mini loaf of challah bread ($22).

David says this is an item that's traditionally only eaten on Fridays in Israel, but now is so popular people eat it every day. And I can see why, as it was one of the tastiest fried chicken sandwiches I've had in some time. The pillowy challah loaf was slathered with a spicy matbucha sauce made from tomatoes, garlic and roasted jalapeño. There was also crunchy red cabbage and fat chunks of roasted eggplant. Spilling out the top was more of that fabulous creamy hummus.  

Elisha, 25 Cutter Mill Rd., Great Neck Plaza, 516-240-9041, instagram.com/elisha_kosher. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Closed Friday and Saturday.