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Israeli expat Halabi Gazala opened this tiny spot in late 2007, and you can still often find her stretching dough to make paper-thin pitas on a hot, domed griddle in the window. The cuisine is Druzea mystic religion whose faithful live mainly in the Middle Eastwhich shares flavors with Syrian, Lebanese, and Israeli traditions. Gazala’s small dining room is sparsely decorated with wooden banquettes and miniature chandeliers, and there’s often a line of hungry Hell’s Kitchenites out front, waiting to tuck into heaping servings of moist seared lamb kebab, crispy falafel, and meze like Foul Mudammas, a hearty spread of smashed fava beans. Meat dishes have a tasty light char; the specialty, Kabab Halabi, is a sizzling plate of grilled chopped lamb and beef topped with a tangy, roasted tomato sauce. Basic whole-grilled fish is equally winning, enlivened with a simple lemon and salt seasoning, and yielding an unusually smoky flavor. The must-have item, however, is the flaky Boureka—off the menu, but offered every day in a variety of fillings like spinach, feta, and artichoke. The savory pastries seem to have a million layers of buttery Filo dough; eaten fresh from the oven, they’re practically transporting. — Edna Ishayik

Boureka, $9.50; Lamb Kabab, $15.95; Grilled fish, market price