Art Ovation Hotel in downtown Sarasota is known for its celebration of art. Paintings available for purchase line the walls of the hotel's entrance, evoking a gallery more than a sterile lobby. And in February of this year, Tzeva opened inside the hotel, a new art medium has come into play: food.

Food is art, too, although that can sometimes be overlooked due to its temporary nature. But when a dish captures all your senses—from visual to scent to taste to feel—it commands respect. At Tzeva, the food does just that.

Tzeva’s culinary program is led by chef Ken Shiro Lumpkin, who has designed a menu that honors Mediterranean flavors that skew less Greek and more Israeli. Small plates dominate the menu, ranging from myriad hummuses ($12-$18) to shakshuka (an Israeli dish of eggs cooked in tomato sauce, $16) to toasted feta flavored with thyme honey, dukkah (an Egyptian spice blend) and Castelvetrano olives ($15).

The chicken liver pâté ($18) is smooth and creamy, topped with a generous layer of chicken fat that coats the palate and carry the flavors across your tongue. A black garlic tarragon gremolata accompanies the pâté—which also comes with boiled egg, gherkins and warm pita—and it's so packed with umami that I request a to-go ramekin to take home with me.

Shashlik, or kebabs, make up another section of the menu. Options include chicken ($14), beef ($15) and grouper ($17), but the runaway star is made with lamb ($16). Tender, skewered bits of lamb loin are cooked to a perfect medium-rare and served over a bed of fragrant rice biryani that's packed with aromatics. I want to eat it every day from now until forever.

While small plates are the best way to sample the menu’s many flavors, there are also entrées available for when your appetite warrants a larger meal. Wagyu skirt steak ($46) has lovely marbling and comes with more of that incredible black garlic gremolata and chermoula toum (a bright garlicky condiment) to cut through the meat’s richness. The braised lamb shank ($37) is also a delight. The meat falls off the bone and is accompanied by kabocha squash and olives, which, when combined, make for a savory, sweet and briny bite.

For dessert, the options are limited—just three selections—but mighty. Turkish coffee cake ($10) comes with an unexpected white pepper ice cream. Baklava ($12) is elevated by the addition of espresso frozen yogurt. The sesame crème brûlée ($10), however, is the most memorable way to end the evening. It's earthy, nutty, sweet and complex enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of the menu.

As far as local hotel restaurants go, Tzeva is at the top of Sarasota’s offerings. It’s menu is inventive yet accessible—especially during happy hour, from 5-7 p.m., when every small plate is $10. A small price to pay to experience food as art.

Tzeva is located inside Art Ovation Hotel at 1255 N. Palm Ave, Sarasota. It is open daily from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. For more information call (941) 413-7425 or click here.