10 replies to this topic

[eugene]

So here’s the drill. I am going to Israel on business mid-May. Very short trip, so I can try out 4, maybe 5 restaurants in the Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem areas. I’m from Vancouver, Canada, and I get enough of excellent food here, so I am looking for authentic Middle Eastern flavours. Suggestions? (Also perhaps you can let me know the general pricing of the dishes so I am prepared )

Thank you so much!!

[Daniel Rogov]

Eugene, Hi...

Following are my updated lists (the updates as of 29 Dec 2005) of Israeli best restaurants, best casual restaurants and others that although perhaps not the "best" are among those I most enjoy.

The restaurant scene in Israel, especially in Tel Aviv, shift as rapidly as the tides these days. As best as I could keep track, during 2005, 65 restaurants opened and 63 folded up their tents and vanished into the night; in the hope of finding or regaining their "in" status, more at least a dozen have changed their décor and name; and some chefs has moved so rapidly from restaurant to restaurant that one might think they were playing the culinary equivalent of musical chairs.
Among the most notable of changes: Artichoke has lost its chef; Barbaresco has closed its doors permanently; Doda although still fun has turned distinctly mass-market; Lilith is in the process of changing its location and is not now operational; Claudine has gone kosher with all of the problems that sometimes implies; and Mika seems to have lost it's cutting edge. Interestingly though, those restaurants at the top of my lists have remained fairly consistent and those lists show minimal changes.

As always, the following reflects my ongoing effort to compile three lists, one of the country's best restaurants, another of the best casual restaurants and yet another that includes some of the places in the country that I most enjoy even though they may not make the "top 10". Those restaurants rated as "casual" may or may not be less expensive than those on the list of the "very best" but they are indeed more laid-back in both atmosphere and culinary style.

The 10 Very Best Restaurants

1. Moul Yam: in the old Port of Tel Aviv. (03) 5469920.
2. Raphael: Hayarkon 87, Tel Aviv. (03) 522-6464.
3. Carmella ba Nachala: HaTavor 46, Tel Aviv. (03) 5161417
4. Orca: Nachalat Binyamin 57. (03) 5665505.
5. Chloelys: Abba Hillel 16, Ramat-Gan. (03) 5759060.
6. Arcadia: Agrippas 10, Jerusalem. (02) 6249138.
7. Catit: Kibbutz Netzer Sarini. (08) 9278050
8. Yo'ezer Bar Wine: Yo'ezer Ish ha Bira 2, Jaffa. (03) 6839115.
9. Aluma: Cvish Tarshicha, Cfar Vradim. (04) 9574477
10. Pronto: Nachmani 26, Tel Aviv. (03) 5660915.


The 10 Best Casual Restaurants

1 Coffee Bar: Yad Charutzim 13, Tel Aviv (03) 6889696.
2. Cavalier: Ben Sira 1, Jerusalem. (02) 6242945.
3. Vince & Tamar: HaTsfira 10, Tel Aviv (03) 6390407.
4. Uri Burri: Lighthouse Square, Acco. (04) 9552212.
5. Chimichanga: Kremenitsky 6 , Tel Aviv. (03) 5613232.
6. Pastis: Rothschild 73, Tel Aviv. (03) 5250773.
7. Idi: HaBosem 6 , Ashdod. (08) 8524313.
8. Odeon: Ha'arba'aa 10, Tel Aviv. (03) 562-8868 and HaSadna'oat 4, Herziliya Pituach. (09) 9569567
9. Zuzobra: Shenkar 7, Herzliya Pituach. (09) 957-7077
10. Pasta Mia: Wilson 10, Tel Aviv (03) 561-0189


And 29 More That I Enjoy Thoroughly

A collection of restaurants, ranging from the formal to the ultimately casual, and including Italian, French, Santa Fe, Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine, pasta joints and steak houses, listed in this case not in order of my preference but in alphabetical order. Why 29 and not 30? No problem – as I commented last year, that's the way life falls sometimes.

Adora: Ben Yehuda 226, Tel Aviv. (03) 6050896
Am-Burger Bar: Tsomet Rosh Pina. (04) 6801592.
Barcarola: Rehov Atir Yeda, Kfar Saba. (09) 7669696
Bruno: Azrieli Shopping Ctr. Tel (03) 6093131. Kosher
Cordelia: Simtat Hazchuchit, Jaffa. (03) 5184668.
Dixie Grill Bar: Igal Alon 120, Tel Aviv. (03) 6966123.
Doris: Oposite the Galilee Shopping Center, Rosh Pina. Tel 04 6801313
Erez: Rehov Barekit, Herzliya Pituach. (09) 9559892.
Food Art: Shaul ha Melech 23, Tel Aviv. (03) 6966255.
Gilly's: Tel Aviv Port, Tel Aviv. (03) 6057777
Golf Bistro and Bar: Caesarea Golf Club, Caesaria. (04) 6260272
Hellena: In ancient Caesaria. (04) 6101018
HaNeshika: HaMeyasdim 27, Zichron Ya'akov. (04) 6390133.
HaTzela HaShminit: Maskit 22, Herziliya Pituach. (09) 9576999
Kimmel: HaShachar 6, Tel Aviv. (03) 5105204.
Manta Ray: Alma Beach, Tel Aviv. (03) 5174773.
Moses: Rothschild 35, Tel Aviv. (03) 5664949.
Muscat: Mitzpe Hayamim Hotel, Rosh Pina. Telephone 04 6999555.
Nana: Achad ham 1, Tel Aviv (03) 5161915
Olive Leaf: Tel Aviv Sheraton Hotel, Tel Aviv. (03) 5219300. Kosher
Onami: Ha'arba'a 18, Tel Aviv. (03) 5621172.
Piccola Pasta: Mendeli 2,Tel Aviv (03) 6203257.
Pini BaChatzer: Nachum Goldman 6, Jaffa (03) 6822111
Pre Megadim: Rothschild 3, Mazkerit Batia. (08) 934-9946.
Sakura: HaMelech George 79, Tel Aviv (03) 6212900.
Stefan Braun: Allenby 39, Tel Aviv, (03) 5604725
Tapeo: Ha'Arba'aa 16, Tel Aviv. (03) 03 5610489
Yakimono: Rothschild 19 and Yordai haSira 5, Tel Aviv. (03) 5443864.

If you should want details for these restaurants drop me an IM or email and I'll point you to some links.

[Swisskaese]

All of the restaurants that Daniel mentioned are good, but most of them do not have Middle Eastern food.

Are you looking for an eBulli Middle Eastern experience or are you looking for the real thing?

If you are looking for the real thing, then they are not fancy restaurants.

Let me know and I will make some suggestions.

For top class dining go to:

Arcadia: Agrippas 10, Jerusalem. (02) 6249138 (approximately 100NIS - 150NIS per person). Here is Daniel's review of Arcadia.

Carmella ba Nachala: HaTavor 46, Tel Aviv. (03) 5161417 (I am not sure, about the same as Arcadia)

Food Art: Shaul ha Melech 23, Tel Aviv. (03) 6966255.

Catit: Kibbutz Netzer Sarini. (08) 9278050 (Unfortunately the website is only in Hebrew, but if you click on the spoon with the black spoon symbol on the bottom-left hand side and then click on the right arrow underneath the picture of the egg, you will see some of their dishes. Then click on the next two after the black spoon.) Catit is approximately 20 minutes south of Tel Aviv.

Edited by Swisskaese, 11 January 2006 - 06:17 AM.

[Daniel Rogov]

By the way... if its super-simple but super-good you want, in Jerusalem make your way to Sima (near the Mahane Yehuda Shuk)

Sima *
Rehov Agrippas 82, Jerusalem. Tel. (02) 623-3002

Despite its hyper-simplicity, this Jerusalem landmark is nearly always packed, and most come here to feast on the magnificent "mixed Jerusalem grill" - a mixture of chicken hearts and livers with bits of lamb, all of which have been seasoned marvelously with a mixture of spices so secret that the owner swears that no manner of torture, coaxing or bribery will get him to reveal his ingredients, before being griddle-fried with generous amounts of onion and garlic. Order it by the plateful if you want to be among the hoi-polloi but do it in a pita if you truly want to enjoy yourself. Also worth trying are the grilled kebabs and lamb chops, each of which are accompanied by really good cole slaw, pickles, olives, and Turkish salad. Good for a casual feast at any time of the day. Open 10:00 – 01:00. Closed Friday night and Saturday until the end of the Sabbath. Reasonable prices. Kosher.

[eugene]

By the way... if its super-simple but super-good you want, in Jerusalem make your way to Sima (near the Mahane Yehuda Shuk)

Sima *
Rehov Agrippas 82, Jerusalem. Tel. (02) 623-3002

Despite its hyper-simplicity, this Jerusalem landmark is nearly always packed, and most come here to feast on the magnificent "mixed Jerusalem grill" - a mixture of chicken hearts and livers with bits of lamb, all of which have been seasoned marvelously with a mixture of spices so secret that the owner swears that no manner of torture, coaxing or bribery will get him to reveal his ingredients, before being griddle-fried with generous amounts of onion and garlic. Order it by the plateful if you want to be among the hoi-polloi but do it in a pita if you truly want to enjoy yourself. Also worth trying are the grilled kebabs and lamb chops, each of which are accompanied by really good cole slaw, pickles, olives, and Turkish salad. Good for a casual feast at any time of the day. Open 10:00 – 01:00. Closed  Friday night and Saturday until the end of the Sabbath. Reasonable prices.  Kosher.

I remember dining at an outdoor place, that sounds similar to what you're describing when I used to live in Israel (early 1990's). All I remember is my parents drove south from Ramat-Gan for sometime, and here was this place, right from the highway, with tables and tables, and cooks grilling shashlicks right infront of you to order and it was so packed. And it was soooooooo good. It has to be a differnt place though, I am positive it wasn't near Jerusalem.

By the way, you guys sure you dont want anything eh?

[boaziko]

By the way... if its super-simple but super-good you want, in Jerusalem make your way to Sima (near the Mahane Yehuda Shuk)

Sima *
Rehov Agrippas 82, Jerusalem. Tel. (02) 623-3002

Despite its hyper-simplicity, this Jerusalem landmark is nearly always packed, and most come here to feast on the magnificent "mixed Jerusalem grill" - a mixture of chicken hearts and livers with bits of lamb, all of which have been seasoned marvelously with a mixture of spices so secret that the owner swears that no manner of torture, coaxing or bribery will get him to reveal his ingredients, before being griddle-fried with generous amounts of onion and garlic. Order it by the plateful if you want to be among the hoi-polloi but do it in a pita if you truly want to enjoy yourself. Also worth trying are the grilled kebabs and lamb chops, each of which are accompanied by really good cole slaw, pickles, olives, and Turkish salad. Good for a casual feast at any time of the day. Open 10:00 – 01:00. Closed  Friday night and Saturday until the end of the Sabbath. Reasonable prices.  Kosher.

I remember dining at an outdoor place, that sounds similar to what you're describing when I used to live in Israel (early 1990's). All I remember is my parents drove south from Ramat-Gan for sometime, and here was this place, right from the highway, with tables and tables, and cooks grilling shashlicks right infront of you to order and it was so packed. And it was soooooooo good. It has to be a differnt place though, I am positive it wasn't near Jerusalem.

By the way, you guys sure you dont want anything eh?

Presumably your folks took you to Or Yehuda or Yazur where a large scale outdoor place is still operating. But if you decide to go in that direction I would recommend Pundak MOSHE where there are endless versions of Kubbe - Kibbe in various colors and tastes. The address is Or Yehuda, 27 Yossef Haim St.
Phone: 03-5331653, 03-5332318

If you are indeed in Low end – High Quality do not miss the best Massabacha in Jaffa's Ali Karawan (Abu – Hassan) # 1 Hadolfin St., Phone 03-6820387

The phone is only for directions, there is No need for reservations. Those are extremely simple places.

Boaziko

[Barbara Moss]

we will be arriving in Tel Aviv in a couple of weeks on Saturday and staying at the Dan. I would love a restaurant that takes reservations on Saturday night which I understand can be hard to get at the last minute. There will be my husband and i with our son and daughter-in-law. We are foodies and they are not. Any suggestions on someplace not too fancy that we can have a nice meat meal or non kosher would be ok as well. I would also like a suggestion for a nicer place for later in the week. We will be doing the same thing in Jerusalem the next Shabbat and so I need a restaurant for that Saturday night. Middle Eastern is fine. I like seafood but it would have to have something else as well. Hope you can point us in the fight directions. I printed out Daniel Rogov's list but it doesn't make any sense as to what is nearby or what they serve. Thanks.

[Swisskaese]

we will be arriving in Tel Aviv in a couple of weeks on Saturday and staying at the Dan. I would love a restaurant that takes reservations on Saturday night which I understand can be hard to get at the last minute. There will be my husband and i with our son and daughter-in-law. We are foodies and they are not. Any suggestions on someplace not too fancy that we can have a nice meat meal or non kosher would be ok as well. I would also like a suggestion for a nicer place for later in the week. We will be doing the same thing in Jerusalem the next Shabbat and so I need a restaurant for that Saturday night. Middle Eastern is fine. I like seafood but it would have to have something else as well. Hope you  can point us in the fight directions. I printed out Daniel Rogov's list but it doesn't make any sense as to what is nearby or what they serve. Thanks.

Enjoy your trip. If you are staying at the Dan Pananorama, then restaurants in Jaffo are close to you, but everything is a short taxi ride away.

Here are a few suggestions. I may add a couple more this afternoon. The quotes are from Rogov's site. You might want to call one of the restaurants before you arrive and make reservations for your arrival on Saturday.


Meat restaurant in Tel Aviv:

Dixie 120 Yigal Alon St. (03) 696-6123. 24 hours daily. Stylized and comfortable, between an American steak house and a French brasserie. Phylo dough pizza with goats’ cheese, pickled salmon, shrimps and mussels in Thai sauce, spare ribs, hamburgers, T-Bone steaks. Moderate-Expensive. ***

Stefan Braun 99 Allenby. (03) 560-4725. Daily 12:00 – 03:00. Tucked away in a charming old building, ideal for laid back, late-night dining. Moroccan charira (lamb soup with lentils), baby lamb chops, skewers of entrecote steak and grilled mullard breast. Moderate. ***

Avant-Garde 38 Ibn Gvirol St. (03) 692-3939. Daily 12:00 – 02:30. A delightful French brasserie in style but New York-California in flavor. Buffalo wings, hunter’s pate wrapped in goose breast, excellent steaks and burgers. Good selection of beers. Reasonable – Moderate. **

Brasserie 70 Ibn Gvirol St. (03) 696-7111. Open 24 hours daily. Delightfully true to the French brasserie in design. As first courses consider the country style pate, the crab filled raviolis and the skewered shrimps. Among best main courses are the coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon, the steak au poivre. For dessert don't miss the millefeuille. Moderate-Expensive. ***

Nice restaurant -good food and atmosphere:

Chloelys 16 Abba Hillel, Ramat Gan. (03) 575-9060 Daily 12:00-00:00: One of the best and most beautiful restaurants in the country. Best first courses include red tuna tartare, seared tuna with wassabi, and duck liver on brioche. Excellent main courses include mousseline of coquilles St Jacques with langoustines and risotto with lobster. Good wine list and excellent service. Moderate–Expensive. ****

Carmella ba Nachala 46 HaTavor St.. (03) 516-1417.Sun – Fri 09:00 – 23:00, Sat 13:00 – 23:00. French-Mediterranean cuisine in a charming setting. Menu changes often and in happy ways! Roasted pear with blue cheese, shrimp seviche, baby calamaris with thyme and citrus and then potato gnocchi with porcini sauce, bass in oregano-tomato sauce, grilled lamb skewers. Moderate. ****

Cordelia Simtat HaZcuchit (near the corner of Yeffet 30), Jaffa. (03) 518-4668. Mon–Sat 19:00 – 00:00. Creative cuisine in a very appealing restaurant. Shrimps in porcini mushroom sauce, raviolis in tomato and olive oil, zucchini with minced lamb, calamari on goat’s milk yoghurt. Moderate-high. ***

Nice fish restaurants in Tel Aviv:

I highly recommend the following restaurants:

Moul Yam Tel Aviv Port. (03) 546-9920. Daily 12:00–16:00 and 19:30–23:00. Combining French classicism, American modernism and Mediterranean charm, unquestionably the best restaurant in the country. Oysters, shrimps with mussel flavored butter, any dish with langoustines, coquilles St Jacques or lobsters. Superb wine list, excellent service. Expensive. *****

Margaret Tayar 8 Retsif Aliya Hashniya, Jaffa. (03) 682-4741. Mon–Thur 13:00–17:00 and 19:00– 23:00, Sat 13:00–19:00. Simple but ultimately “in” eatery where the fish couscous, stuffed sardines, and fish dishes are worth trying. Moderate-Expensive. ***

Benny HaDayag Tel Aviv Port, (03) 544-0518. Daily 12:30–00:30. Informal tavernna-style dining. Sit indoors or at water’s edge, start off with the extensive meze and then to baked or grilled fish, calamari or jumbo shrimps in wine, butter and garlic sauce. Reasonable-Moderate. **

Foreline 10 Frishman St. (03) 522-2664. Daily12:00–23:00. Attractive, reliable, and sometimes exciting. Excellent antipasti, gravlax, moules mariniere, trout and other fish stuffed with spinach or a variety of sauces, duet of dourade and seabream in Bechamel sauce. Also several meat offerings. Moderate. **

In Jerusalem:

Arcadia 10 Agrippas St. (02) 624-9138. Mon – Sat 12:30 – 15:00 and 19:00 – 23:30. A beautiful setting and exquisite food make this one of the best restaurants in the country. Tradition and modernity come together very well in dishes such as the bass tartar, grouper with saffron sauce, goose liver with jam of baby eggplants. Expensive. ****

Darna 3 Horkanus St. (02) 624-5406. Sun – Thur 12:00 – 15:00 and 18:00 – 00:00, Sat night. Beautiful and authentic Moroccan setting. Pie with Cornish hen and almonds, lamb and lentil soup, lamb tagine with prunes, excellent couscous. Moderate to expensive. Kosher. **

Vaqueiro 54 HaNeve’eem St. (02) 624-7432. Sun-Thurs 12:30-16:30 and 18:30-23:00. Tasty South American and South African meats on the grill along with good salads in a pleasant atmosphere. Reasonable. Kosher. *

Paradiso 36 Keren Hayesod St. (02) 563-4805. Sun-Fri 10:00-01:00, Sat 12:00-02:00. Appealing café-restaurant with good antipasti, potato gnocchi and chicken in the Cordon Bleu style. Wines by glass or bottle and good pastries. **

Edited by Swisskaese, 18 October 2006 - 05:05 AM.

[Barbara Moss]

Thank you. Great suggestions! We are staying at the other Dan if that makes a difference.

[Swisskaese]

It doesn't make any difference. If you want to go somewhere nice for lunch, then I would suggest:

Food Art: 23 Shaul ha Melech St. (in the courtyard of the Golda Center). (03)6966255. Sun-Thur 12:00-15:00. Charming and sophisticated lunch setting. Salmon sashimi with wassabi sorbet, soba noodles with peanut sauce, Florentine papa al pomadoro soup, lamb kebab on red onions with tchina sauce; drumfish fillet with a puree and a confit of tomato butter and fennel. Good desserts. Moderate-Expensive. ***

They are only open for lunch because they do weddings and special events in the evening.

Also, a few more suggestions all in Tel Aviv:

Pastis 73 Rothschild Blvd. (03) 525-0773. Daily 11:00–23:30, Sat from 08:00. Upswing Provencale bistro dining. Mussels Provencale, fillet of fish with pesto and herbs, shrimps, calamari and mussels in herbed butter sauce, vanilla-ginger ice cream. Moderate. ***

Etzel Pini BaChatzer: 6 Nachum Goldman St., Jaffa. Tel (03) 682-2111. Daily 09:00 – 01:00. Mediterranean dining in full view of the sea. Good mezes, best of which is salad of chopped beef and lamb with Swiss chard and pine nuts. Best main courses include stuffed baby pigeons. Moderate. **

Dr. Shakshouka (Middle Eastern) 3 Beit Eshel, Jaffa. (03) 682-2842. Sun – Thur 09:30 – 00:00, Friday until 17:00, Sat night until 01:00. Simple, bustling and noisy but with good shakshouka (spiced egg and tomato casserole), kubbeh (burghul filled with meat, rice and pine nuts). Reasonable. Kosher. *

Yo’ezer Wine Bar 2 Yo’ezer Ish Habira (opposite the clock tower), Jaffa. (03) 683-9115. Sun – Wed 13:00 – 01:00, Thur – Sat 24 hours.Exquisite interior, good service, a fine selection of wines and excellent cuisine without pretensions. Pate de campagne, cote d’agneau, smoked ham, roast and corned beef. Moderate to Expensive. ****

Edited by Swisskaese, 18 October 2006 - 08:45 AM.

[marlena spieler]

I love Dr Shakshouka! the owners are a family from Libya, and they make wonderful couscous, with meatballs or is it a sort of meatloaf thing that tastes as if my grandmother had made it while being held by kidnappers who forced her to use an aladin's cave of spices: in other words it was both cozy and familiar and totally exotic.

a dish of mashed pumpkin with spices was served as part of the couscous meal, though it could have been separate, anyhow, it was deeeeeelish.