Smart Dining in Tel-Aviv

Tasting Menu at Pushkin Restaurant

2011-08-06T16:36:00.000+03:00

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well,

if one has not dined well"

Virginia Woolf

This post is slightly different from my previous ones, as this place is really expensive. So, I suggest you to go dining there either for an important occasion (like birthday) or once you've got an unexpected "fat" bonus.

Budget: The sky is the limit. So, don't forget to bring your big wallet or just a rich partner :)

Decor: The style is pompous and eclectic (pillars versus a modern-style fountain, commodes vs avant-Gard lighting). One corner of the restaurant is covered with Pushkin's well-known handwriting. There is also the VIP space, which can be separated from the rest of the restaurant.

Ambience: Music is some sort of calming piano and saxophone improvisation.

Recommended Menu: Tasting menu (6 courses, 2 of them are desserts): 300 NIS. My suggestion is to share this menu between two people. If you are very hungry or just a fan of big portions then order an extra dish from the regular menu (which is even more expensive).

Audience: Well-based couples at their 30th-40th, ladies - in dresses, gentelmen - in polo or formal shirts.

Service: Waiters give very good explanation about dishes. When I asked complicated questions they would check with the chef and came back to me with the detailed answers. Please be aware, if you order the tasting menu, the service is going to be super slow (the estimated time for serving the full menu is 2.5 up to 3 hours).

Food: I've opened my dinner with the Gazpacho soup (garnished with a cherry tomato) poured over some type of the basil olive oil (this dish was from the house) and a mini/micro toast with black olives tapenade aside.

Next course was a fish carpaccio covered with slices of 24k gold, passion fruit spots, super-thin grapefruit slices and some eatable flowers. The dish had a beautiful presentation.

Scallops, corn puree over lobster bisk

Next course was an orange-green-inspired plate that included three scallops, a quail egg. broccoli, corn pure, perfectly chopped zucchini, some home-made black pasta, grapes (yes, the chef is really into fusion) and all this was served on top of lobster's bisque.

My Favourite Dish

Then came my new favourite dish: white roots risotto with green peas and slices of smoked duck breast. On top of this rissotto you'd find some kind of "forest" with snails, green asparagus and other vegetables. I higly recommend this dish!

Afterwards, I received a course of the beef fillet placed on top of the home-made cofee-flavoured spagetti (it is not a mistake, cofee had been added to the dough), egg yolk, white roots pure, asparagus and, again, some tenderly cooked vegetables.

When I was not able breathing anymore, my first dessert dish arrived to my table. It was a "sexy" three-layered shot of the passion fruit, chocolate mousse and whipped, very tender cream. The passion fruit crispy twill ended this mini-dessert.

The second dessert was panacotta, covered with a thin layer of white chocolate, cubes of mango, raspberry sorbet, hibiscus' twill and, again, a few slices of gold. Twills were a delight and the gold was eatable.. This dish and some others brought me back in time to the 19th century (to Pushkin's time) when some people had thought that eating of the pure gold has a healing effect. I hasn't refused to try it myself :)

Summary: This place is only for those brave people who are mentally prepared for the revolution in their plates and are ready to pay well enough for an enjoyable long-lasting dinner full of fusion, gold and other adventures.

Site:
http://www.rest.co.il/_websites/pushkin/en.html

Perfect Happy End

Top 5 Chart: Dinner at Tapas1 #4

2011-07-17T23:38:00.001+03:00

There is no love sincerer than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw

So, last weekend I went again to Tapas 1. Normally, I would suggest you to make a reservation in advance. However, since I was on my own, I'd decided to take a seat at the bar and "supervise" the open kitchen from there.

After a short (or not so short) conversation with my waiter, I'd chosen a Peruvian oyster ceviche in addition to 1/2 dozen of oysters imported from France (Bretagne). Yes, I was in an aphrodisiac mood!

At that moment I still haven't decided whether I am going to continue with one of my favourite restaurant's dishes: fois gras with apples in a white sangria-based sauce.

As it was a very hot evening, I felt very thirsty and, therefore, my body was begging for some white wine: Chablis has fallen as a perfect choice for my seafood dishes.

Both oysters dishes were just a delight. Yes, they are expensive in Israel but if you're an oyster lover like me, try it and you won't regret. The service was very helpful and the guy was really trying to make you feel comfortable.

After finishing my two dishes, while still drinking my Chablis, an interesting plate catched my eye. After a short investigation, it had been identified as a beef fillet (see picture below) with mushrooms. I still remember its texture, its softeness, its smell and taste. If you like eating pink-color meat dishes (I am affraid, most of us have this unconscious animal instinct), this is definitely your dish.

My waiter was not sure whether I eat enough so far. So, he brought me a cute tapas portion of a scallop with black risotto (of course, it was on the house). You will easily recognize it on the picture.

In the end, I received a dessert from the house: an American-style vanila ice-cream with hazelnuts (but it was me, guys, thanks to my innocent green eyes). It doesn't necessary mean you will get the same treat. I'm sure you will get the better one.

Summarizing this post, the place is not cheap(!) but it justifies itself by the quality of ingredients, service, creativity and the ambience.

I will definitely return there. What about you? Don't blame me for not convincing you enough to come right away!

Ambience: Spanish/Latin-American, tapas, coolness, international and up-to dated.

Hasta pronto en Tapas1!

Top 5 Chart: Lunch at Herbert Samuel #3

2010-05-03T14:51:00.007+03:00

"Food is not about impressing people. It's about making them
feel comfortable."
Ina Garten, 'The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'.

This is my third (but not last) post about Smart Dining in Tel-Aviv. When I started writing this blog, the main idea was sharing my favorite dining places in Tel-Aviv with my friends as well as with the rest of the world.

In past, I used to go very often for lunch or dinner, almost without thinking of my budget. These days, when my funds are pretty low, I'm trying to spend my money in a smart way. Despite this fact, I’m still mentally unprepared to enter ~~Mc-Donald's-Burger-King-like~~ ~~establishments~~ and pay around 40NIS for a meal.

My Top5 list tries to put together both a good quality and affordable price. As to prices, I should warn you that Herbert Samuel is the most expensive place I've written my blog about. Although, guys, I thought it would be unfare to hide such a great dining treasure from you.

Décor: If you want to check that everything has been cooked properly or give some of your personal kitchen tips to the chef of the restaurant (Jonathan Roshfeld), go upstairs and enjoy the 270 degrees view through the glass wall of the steel-huge-almost-priceless-dream kitchen.

At the contrary, if you’re too tired to climb upstairs, then walk downstairs through a well-designed corridor, decorated with abstract cuisine-inspired paintings, which leads you directly to the bathroom.

Now after running upstairs and downstairs, let's come back to the main space.

Who said that if you clone the same object 100-200 times, this is not an innovative design anymore? In Herbert Samuel this concept has been successfully reinvented via dozens of wine bottles (having their beauty sleep) arranged in a perfect esthetic order from the floor to the ceiling. I wonder whether a waitress should climb up that “bottles wall”, if a sophisticated guest has ordered a mature wine bottled at the time of Israel’s establishment. The wall along with light-weighted wooden frames, subdividing the restaurant into three different spaces, give the place an aristocratic look emphasized by modern chick.

Budget: Starts from 79NIS (just a main course. Should it be called a business lunch?) or, another option starts from 99NIS (for appetizer and a main course). If you want to win some free bread and a soft drink as a part of your meal, then go there on weekdays.

Food: If you’ve heard a word “fusion” in relation to food, you’ll find it here: Spanish, Asian, French, Italian and Mediterranean. Dish presentations are perfect. Sometimes you don’t even want to touch the piece of art served in your plate.

For those who expect big portions here, go to another restaurant! This is a gourmet restaurant. This is the institution where you need to chew your food slowly, bite by bite, until you feel each and each ingredient and all of them together as J.R. (chefs' abbreviation) meant it, or, alternatively, you can interpret it in your own language. What is for sure, that here you will definitely find a very creative celebration of tastes.

For the starter, I recommend you to get Vitello Tonnato – an Italian dish which is composed of huge (I ‘d even say enormous) capers erotically placed on top of perfectly fresh thin overlapping slices of cold veal surrounded by light and airy tuna-anchovy (or tuna-cream) based sauce. Try it out if you like the ingredients.

For the main course, I suggest you to try the compostion below or a similar dish.

Let’s analyze what we have in the plate: from top to bottom. At the edge of the sculpture you will find a mixture of microscopically chopped sweet red peppers garnished by green leaves. The second layer is composed of the Gray Mullet fillet that exposes its polenta-grilled side. At the third level one discovers plenty of basil shells (or conchiglie) pasta “flowing” in tomato-garlic sauté. And if one decides to dive even deeper into the very bottom of this culinary sea, he will find out a slight touch of fresh pesto sauce.

Unfortunately, the restaurant doesn’t have a sommelier anymore but waiters seem to know enough about served wines. My main dish went well with Pinot Grigio (from Loire valley, France).

Ambience: Black-tied waiters and waitresses but don't be scared. They are still friendly, most of the time. You have a great panorama to the Mediterranean Sea either from the centrally-located huge bar or from a left/write wing table, thus, providing a perfect location for a romantic meal or business lunch.

Site: http://www.herbertsamuel.co.il/

Top 5 Chart: Lunch at Adora Restaurant #2

2010-03-17T21:11:00.044+02:00

Here as promised my #2 of Top 5 Chart - Adora restaurant.

Décor: Simple & smart, “light” bistro style, two floors with a brand new terrace (for smokers or just cigarette-smell fans). Don’t miss the toilet entrance upstairs. A short break between appetizer and the main course can be the perfect timing for visiting up there.
Style: Mediterranean influenced by French and Asian cuisine. One of the favorite chef’s ingredients is fresh/cooked/baked/dry coriander. So, those who are not amateurs of this spice, please check carefully that issue with the waiter in advance. If you like eggplants (the chef does like them) – try out Falafel aux eggplants/aubergine. “Aux” – is my invention to let the dish a nice French sound.
Reservation: during summer months is essential. If you’re more than two people, please make a phone reservation. Don’t forget to verify the time, day and month. I know what I’m talking about…
Content: an appetizer and main course. Tap water is served for free and periodically refilled by passing waiters.
Budget: starting from 59NIS. Pay attention to extra payments, like bread and additions to some starters and main dishes. Don’t complain afterwards that you were not warned (!).
Recommended Dishes:

Bread with the mixture of don’t-remember-which-very-delicious seeds and some nice butter-and-garlic-confit-and-arisa stuff to spread over it.

Everything with seafood, fish, great risottos and nice vegetarian dishes; Don’t forget about creative desserts (for those who can afford them)!

Service: Most of the time a waiter-hostess opens the door for you, which is already very nice. The service here is mostly very well. If you’re alone and need a company, locate yourself at the small bar, where a cute & smiley barmen is always happy to serve you, talk with you and, surely, drink you up (!).
Ambience: French chansons by J.Dassin, M. Brandt and similar guys, girls, madams et monsieurs.
Cosher: No. However, the food is still very delicious.
Crowd:

Locals who appreciate Avi Biton’s (chef) food

Middle-aged and undefined age couples

French-speaking audience

Simple but yet sophisticated guys like you and I.

Site: http://www.rest.co.il/sites/Default.asp?txtRestID=5985

Top 5 Chart: Lunch at Hotel Montefiore #1

2010-03-16T00:13:00.003+02:00

I have had the idea of writing this blog for a long time. Many friends of mine told me why wouldn’t you do that?

These days, when I’m unemployed and have plenty of free time, it’s an easy thing to do. I’m ready to share my experience with the world for free.

Let’s go to the main point: food.

I will present my Top-5 chart of smart dining places in Tel-Aviv:

Hotel Montefiore for lunch #1

Décor: be prepared for white maps, plenty of silverware and a professionally smiling hostess. So, please no swimming suites and towels, definitely not here!
Style: French and Fusion. Don’t expect to order any hummus-falafel-lafa related dishes.
Reservation: is a MUST. Otherwise, ½ an hour of waiting is almost guaranteed.
Content: an appetizer, main course, small dessert and coffee. Also, some nice mini-baguettes with butter. What about a glass of wine? Sorry, but for this one you will have to pay! However, there are special prices during lunch time.
Budget: starting from 60NIS (price of your choice of main course).
Food: TBD
Service: The service here is always great. Sometimes, it can be slow but 99.9% of the time it’s very professional and attentive.
Ambience: Calm music..
Cosher: No. Including pork, shrimps, meat and plenty of butter
Crowd: Celebrities, lawyer-type guys, guests from the boutique-hotel and simple guys like you and I.
Site: http://www.hotelmontefiore.co.il/restaurant.html

To be continued…