If you’ve been to Abbalé Telavivian Kitchen in South of Fifth, you know two things are true: the food is delicious and finding a place to park is close to impossible. It’s partly why the restaurant is most popular with locals who can stroll over from their waterfront condos to enjoy top-notch Israeli eats. (Must be nice.)

For the rest of us who’d rather driver a little farther for the sake of convenience, there’s a new location of the popular restaurant in Aventura, and it has ample parking and much more seating.

Abbalé occupies the former 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen, not that you’d know this at first glance. The restaurant was completely overhauled—renovated to the studs to create an open, airy space with floor-to-ceiling windows that allow tons of natural light to shine in. It’s done up in soothing neutrals and decorated with verdant olive trees, the faux bushes spread out like a lush Mediterranean canopy.

A sunny Sunday brunch provided the perfect opportunity to appreciate the warm, welcoming space and tuck into Abbalé’s signature dishes and cocktails. Drinks included a hearty Bloody Mary, a blend of tomato, preserved lemon, Aleppo pepper and horseradish spiked with vodka. The garnish is one of the freshest takes we’ve seen in a while—no gimmicks or bacon, just a simple skewer with tons of fresh veggies. The Arak Sour is one you’ll only find here, made with gin, Arak (an anise-flavored Middle Eastern liquor), blackberry and Thai basil. It was heavy on the licorice notes and very refreshing.

We started with items from the regular menu, including the Crunchy Cauliflower with tamarind glaze, tahini and smoked salt. We couldn’t get enough of the sauce—like “go back and dip your floret several times before polishing it off” good. For greens, we had the chunks of Crispy Halloumi tossed atop a light salad with grapefruit, kale, purple cabbage, radish, herbs and spiced walnuts, among other things. The Ahi Tuna Tartare with preserved lemon, labneh and a side of za’atar-dusted golden chips is a must—simple with lots of bold flavors. We ended the lunch portion of the meal with Lamb Kefta Arayes and french fries served with a trio of sauces. It arrived cut up in four pieces and was an easy main course to share with a group.

Working backward toward the more breakfast-y items, we ate our way through a House-Cured Salmon Gravlax & Smoked Fish platter—it was massive and would make a great starter—and a Pastry Board beautifully arranged with Nutella-halva babka, lemon-olive oil cake and Medjool date-feta caramel sticky cake. Dessert was a double dose of Challah French Toast with more of the tasty Mediterranean flavors featured throughout the menu—whipped labneh, pistachio, caramelized walnuts, date honey—and a photogenic Tahini Soft Serve sunade.

First timers at Abbalé will enjoy the brunch experience, offering up a nice mix of its Israeli classics with some familiar breakfast dishes perfect for those still easing into Middle Eastern cuisine. It was a wonderful introduction to the flavors of the region, and I left feeling satisfied and eager to explore more.