A new restaurant on the upper west side always peaks my interest.

I should have ignored Malka.

When will I learn?!

Malka is owned by Eyal Shani who is also responsible for HaSalon which is a mediocre, over hyped restaurant with a huge price tag.

Malka is an unassuming newbie on the dreary West 72nd stretch between Columbus Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue.

It is a kosher restaurant. I enjoy kosher meats and poultry as I think they are better quality.

They also advertised Thursday night DJ nights which I thought would be fun.

No music, no ambiance, small portions and ordinary tasting food.

I chose bar seating because I always enjoy the interaction.

There was none, the kitchen was messy and the view was overwhelmed by the heavy black mats that covered the floor. The kitchen did not offer an interesting flow.

Plus, the verbose cougar who was perched next to me and all over her much younger companion, spent 15 minutes on proctology procedures and melanomas…not my idea of ideal dinner banter or flirtatious foreplay.

Famed chef Eyal Shani also owns other local restaurants, including HaSalon, Port Sa’id and Michelin starred Shmoné. Malka is his very first kosher endeavor in the U.S. The first offering opened in Tel Aviv in 2018.

The menu at Malka changes seasonally, showcasing the flavors of Israeli cuisine with the freshest ingredients sourced locally.

We kicked things off with the individually prepared Golden Focaccia marbled with tomatoes, onions and spicy peppers which I omitted. It was very good and arrived with a small side of Tahini ($10).

The Pile of Green Beans which were more of an ant hill were prepared with olive oil, garlic and lemon zest. The beans were tasty and served cold, but mine are as good and a lot less expensive ($14).

Our main was the overhyped Golden Sculpture, a small whole deep fried Branzino. It was bony and a bit bland ($37).

Since my husband is a pescatarian we were limited with selections.

Apparently the Schnitzel stuffed with bone-marrow mashed potatoes is a favorite served on a giant chopping board with cole slaw and horseradish ($41).

The Lamb Shank is another top seller ($33).

It was a disappointing, blah experience, although the company was good.

Malka is Shani’s first fully kosher spot in the US, which is reflected both in the menu and the days Malka is closed to observe Shabbat.

Malka is meh and not worth a repeat visit.

Malka 161 West 72nd Street New York City. Open Monday-Wednesday 5-10:30pm, Thursday: 5-11:00pm, Sunday: 11:00am-3:00pm and 5-10:00pm. Closed Friday and Saturday. Reservations on Resy.