On the nothernmost reaches of Middle Neck Road, in an undistinguished storefront, there’s some very exciting cooking going on. Tel Aviv is the name of the restaurant. The presiding genius—in the kitchen, in the dining room, he’s everywhere!—is Michael Ginor, an Israeli-American culinary insider who is best known for his company Hudson Valley Foie Gras. Who knew he could cook? Everything we had was stellar, from the gratis pickles to the halvah parfait. In between we kvelled over the green eggplant salad, fried fish falafel, sea bass ceviche, shakshuka (eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce), lamb kufta kebab, Morrocan-spiced salmon. Lemonade was homemade and came unsweetened, with a small glass of mint-infused simple syrup. The pita bread was the best I’ve had outside of the Judean desert. The place looks great: lots of unfinished butcherblock and framed kibbutz-movement posters. It’s glatt kosher and, thus, is closed Friday night through Saturday night. Tel Aviv, 613 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, 516-466-6136.

--Erica Marcus