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The Dirt Candy chef has set out to make the “highest quality burger made from whole ingredients” according to press materials, by using ingredients that can be found in an everyday at-home kitchen.
The menu is centered around Cohen’s “secret” burger recipe that is served on a house-made Japanese-style milk bun.
Burger options include: Lekka Burger with ketchup, mustard, vegan mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles; Lekka Cheeseburger with cheese sauce, ketchup, mustard, vegan mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles; Peri Peri Burger with house-made peri peri sauce, vegan mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato and onion; Guacamole Burger with house-made hatch chile sauce, house-made lime guacamole, radishes, cilantro, lettuce and tomato; and the Masala Burger with house-made coconut chutney cabbage slaw, tamarind ketchup, papadum, tomato and onion.
Though burgers reign supreme on the menu, there are sides and salads that include: Broccolini Caesar with grilled broccolini, romaine, smoked crouton crumble and nori dressing; Cauliflower Waldorf (pictured) with roasted cauliflower, Asian pear, celery, pecans and tarragon dressing; Chopped Salad with cucumber, tomato, fennel, avocado, hempseed and preserved lemon dressing; and Crinkle Cut Fries are served plain or topped with cheese sauce, curry-style, or “messy” with all the house-made sauces.
Never forget desserts!
Vegan soft-serve made with trendy oat-milk is always on the menu in both carrot and vanilla while there are rotating flavors of shakes. Flavors include chocolate, strawberry, caramel, halvah (Israeli sesame flavoring) and matcha with toppings like toasted nuts, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate chip cookie crumble and brownie bits. Rum or bourbon are available to add to any shake as well, so those over 21 can drink up.
In addition to the boozy desserts, there is a whole drink menu developed by the beverage director of Dirt Candy, Michael Cherry.
The program at Lekka focuses on fresh drinks with fruits and vegetables at the forefront of each drink. The Lekka Carrot Punch is made with carrot juice, pineapple and rum; the Pink Gin Rickey is strawberry juice, yuzu and gin; the Grapefruit Tequila Paloma is grapefruit juice, lime and tequila; the Tangerine Aperol Spritz is tangerine juice, Aperol and Prosecco; and the Beet Vodka Gingerade is beet juice, lemon juice, ginger beer and vodka.
Cherry also curated a wine list to pair with the plant-based menu.
Five-Boroughs Beer and Hard Kombucha are on tap as well as alcohol-free drinks that include Oogavé fountain sodas, Bear’s Fruit Kombucha, Rise Nitro Cold Brew Coffee, Joyride Nitro Matcha and Ugly Seltzer.
Designed by the same people behind Little Beet, the counter-service, 50-seat restaurant was inspired by Kerzner’s home of South Africa. Bright colors and vibrant patterns line the walls. A floor to ceiling mural greets guests upon entering the space designed by the social activist and artist Magda Love that depicts a lush garden of wildflowers and vegetation, a taste of what’s to come for the diner’s meal.
Additional art on the walls was created by Kerzner’s students at Lalela, the not-for-profit arts program helping at-risk youth in South Africa.
Multi-colored stools were created using recycled tee shirts and the light fixtures are a product of repurposed plastic water bottles.
Everything at Lekka is eco-friendly and biodegradable, according to the restaurant and the entire place is tip-free, including the bar.
Andrea Kerzner (left) and Amanda Cohen in Lekka.
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