By Steve Cuozzo

Dagon is the city’s best new restaurant to arise out of the pandemic and my favorite new Upper West Side place since the millennium. A kaleidoscopic whirl through modern Israeli cuisine, where hummus and falafel meet the pungent pleasures of the Arab Middle East and North Africa, it hits the spot for a Manhattan craving something new and wonderful after many beloved places closed.

I flipped for the food in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Acre and Golan on a 2019 trip to Israel. Dagon’s sun-drenched flavor constellations brought back the pleasure. Plus, unlike many recent “openings,” Dagon is made for grown-up dining, with a comfortable setting and a civilized sound level. The well-trained, cheerful floor crew know their harissa from their horseradish…