Maybe I'm being unfair to the culinary legacy of a region marred by centuries of strife. But even my waitress at Saro Bistro, a new Lower East Side restaurant, agreed. She explained that the bright green peppers in the glass in front of our mismatched antique plates weren't just decoration, but should be chomped on with the meal. "The cuisine isn't highly spiced," she said. "So they help add some heat."
At Saro, chef Eran Elhalal celebrates the "lost empires" (Austro-Hungarian plus Ottoman equals Balkan, get it?) while championing the home cooking of his grandmother Sara, the restaurant's namesake. The cozy dining room would have impressed her. A soft glow from hanging pendant lights envelops the dozen wooden tables. Brocade-patterned wallpaper adorns the walls, and a small bar tucks into a corner. Charming, informed waiters canvass the space, checking on the hip locals who've happily left their pretensions at the door.
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