Azerbaijan House

A single-red-brick strip on East 14th between Schenectady and Van Siclen holds more than meets the eye. Azerbaijan House squats in a converted corner storefront, its bland facade hiding kitchen fire behind the windows. The borough keeps pushing east, but the strip still listens for distant languages and the clink of porcelain saucers.

Inside the flat front, a handful of small tables tuck under the ceiling fans, and the menu splits the difference between Baku and Brooklyn. They do show up with plov heaped like a mound of saffron-hued grains and lula kebabs that smell of smoky sumac before the plate touches the table. Perch behind the bar and watch the ebb of deliveries and dinner parties—it never takes long.

Need a bowl of shorba to chase the winter air? Call before the cuffs come on: (718) 648-2345. Neighbors drop in after the F train limps past Pitkin, impulse-buying a slice of pakhlava to go. No cover, no candlelight, just the quiet whistle of the samovar somewhere in back.

Find it where the avenue bends: 2612 E 14th St, Brooklyn, NY 11235. Zoom in on the map, then walk until the scent of garlic and dill points the way.