Description
Zahtar Minneapolis, on the second floor of the Grand Hotel, has a dim, clubby ambiance and tends to be populated by the sort of urban professional crowd that would belong to a gym offering laundry service. A few gauzy curtains, glass candle holders, and low, colorful stools give the space a hint of Arabian Nights. Zahtar, which is the name of a North African spice blend, offers a Mediterranean-American menu and vague promises of "healthy," "sense-stimulating" refueling, which can mean anything from sushi to whole-wheat-crust pizza, but also such indulgences as hamburgers and chocolate mousse. David Fhima serves as the executive chef and offers his signature chicken tajine: a free-range, bone-in bird with caramelized vegetables, bits of almonds and preserved lemons, and an apricot-and-cayenne marmalade. Every bite pops with the sweet, smoky, spicy notes reminiscent of chai tea.
