Refined dining meets fast fare with ilili Box, the newly opened outdoor dining kiosk from ilili chef and owner Philippe Massoud. Located at Flatiron Public Plaza North, ilili Box serves up the same Eastern Mediterranean fare that’s earned ilili its beloved neighborhood status —but here, it’s convenient, quick and frequently handheld.
A large selection of panini-pressed sandwiches are on offer, from sumac-seasoned pulled chicken with homemade pickled Persian cucumbers and garlic whip, to ilili’s celebrated duck shawarma, with lettuce, scallions, fig garlic whip and tangy pomegranate crunches. The menu also celebrates options: two renditions of Lebanese manoushe are worth a thoughtful decision, while three kinds of falafel sandwiches (Korean, Mexican and classic) easily help stave off mid-week lunch boredom.
While additional bites like brussels sprouts or Phoenician fries with sumac salt may be calling, don’t miss dessert: coconut rice pudding is complex and satisfying with mango and lavender, and Lebanese ashta packs bold flavors of roasted pineapple, mustard seed, hibiscus and orange blossom syrup.
Ilili Box, Flatiron Public Plaza North (24th and Broadway), 646.771.4090, www.ililibox.com
