Old Eats Meets New - Chef Laura in Israel Part 1

I've been in Tel Avia 3 days already, and the city is starting to stick to my bones. There's much to do, and plenty to eat, so I've been beginning my mornings with the requisite 5 miles, and then cooling off with a swim in the Mediterranean. How could one not get used to this life? Waking up at 6 just became a whole lot easier!


Catching the Tel Aviv Sunset when I arrived, a good way to start my trip


A view of chinky beach

Israeli cuisine is complex - as one noted, Israel is a nation of immigrants, so flavors from all over the world can be found here. However, the chefs here take pride in using seasonal and local ingredients as well, adding a touch of uniqueness and antiquity sometimes to the food.

On Saturday, I visited Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, which are locations dear to the Christian faith, and so have particular importance to me. For lunch, we ate at a restaurant by Magdala Beach, which is where Mary Magdalene was from. It was my first local meal, and to start, a selection of vegetarian appetizers, also known as Mezze anywhere in the region.



I opted for the grilled Peter's Fish, which is Tilapia, and is from the Galilee. This would have been the fish that Peter and Andrew would have made their living on. Produce like dates, olives, tahini have been around forever (literally), and to think that I might be eating the same food as Jesus and his disciples! Giving thanks for the food, now has a whole new meaning.




Fresh Dates - First time I had them



Dipping my feet in the Sea of Galilee after lunch

I finished off the day with dinner at Hebert Samuel, a sizzling new restaurant by Chef Jonathan Roshfeld. The concierge described it as "fabulous", and it did not disappoint. The menu is kept pretty simple, with a few items in each category. In addition to the regular menu, the special's menu was one of the most extensive I've ever seen! Most dishes could either be ordered as an appetizer or a main course, and I opted for the smaller portions for all the courses.



Everything was absolutely delicious. Ordinarily, I would not have ordered sashimi at a non-Japanese restaurant, but I was assured that the Yellow tail was local, and this was a dish for raw fish rookies. Yellow tail is usually heavy and fatty, but this was lighter, and served with a tangy yogurt sauce, which cut into the flavor very well.


Yellow tail Sashimi with Ladi of Lemon grass & Honey

The chicken liver pate (special) was the the best I ever had, unfortunately the brioche that it was served with was not hot when it arrived. The crispy sea bream was sprinkled with corn meal to made the skin extra crispy - a trick that I will be using next time! The vegetables were grilled, then sauteed, and it was served with a delicious red tapenade, which I can guess was made by first roasting peppers, then cooking it down with olives and tomatoes, etc etc. This was my favorite dish (seafood, can you imagine?), with all the love that went into it.


Chicken Liver Pate with Cassis


Sea bream with zucchini and tasso olives

Finally I finished with the lobster macaroni, a good way to end the meal, rich flavor, some fresh peas and shoots, and the pasta was of course cooked to al dente perfection. I even made space for dessert afterwards, and while I don't particularly love cherry dessert, this was pretty much made up for the rest of them all. Black cherry creme brulee, ice cream, and dark chocolate mousse cake (yes, I sneezed a lot).


Lobster Macaroni with chestnuts and lemon

Black Cherry Dessert

It was a great dinner, and some where between the first and second course, I forgot that I was dining alone. Unfortunately for me, since there was only one stomach, I wasn't able to taste the entire menu in one dinner. All's well that ends well, and as a reward for finishing 4 courses and one dessert, the bartender poured me two glasses of a late harvest riesling from Sharon.


After an awesome meal - you can tell I'm happy

Stay tuned for my updates!