Cafe At Your Mother-in-Law

With the beachy pastel coloring, faux-marbled tables, and visible kitchen just off the dining room, a meal here feels like visiting grandma’s oceanside apartment. The owners’ heritage (Korea by way of Uzbekistan) plays out deliciously on the table, with hearty lamb-studded plov (Uzbek pilaf) and meaty samsas offset by a wide selection of spicy-sweet salads. The eggplant hye, with velvety chunks of eggplant, thinly shredded carrots, and tender red bell pepper, is an effervescent treat. Nostalgic fans of Rice Krispies Treats should end the meal with chak-chak, mounds of puffy fried noodles bound together with honey syrup.