Haifa and Galilee:
Restaurants recommended
by cuisine experts
Restaurants recommended
by cuisine experts
Daniel Rogov, Haaretz
We suggest you call beforehand to make sure when the restaurants are open and to reserve
places
Gastronomy:
Hanamal 24, ****, Hanamal 24, Haifa,(04) 862-8899.
Uri Burri , **** Akko, 9552212 (fish)
Alumah, **** Tarshicha road, Kfar Vradim, 957477, (French cuisine)
Vintage, well worth the jouney, Kikar Kiyat 2, Haifa, entrance from Yaffo 24. Tel: 077
550-2330
Golden Coral***, Stella Maris 100, Haifa, 8314399 (Middle Eastern, Greek)
Japro***, New Hi Tech Park, Yokneam, 9891988, (Japanese and French cuisine)
Maayan Habirah, *** 4 Natanson, Haifa, 8623193 (Balkan cuisine)
Helena, *** Cesarea, 6100108 (fish)
Haneshikah, *** Zichron Yaakov, 6390133 (French cuisine )
Diana, *** Nazareth,6572919 (Middle Eastern cuisine )
Muscat, *** Mitspeh Hayamim, 6999555 (French cuisine )
Adalina, *** Kibbutz Kabri, 9952707 (country)
Abu Cristo, *** Akko, 9910065 (fish)
Jacko, **, 12 Hadekalim, Haifa, 8668813 (fish)
Middasat Hakeves, **Daliat al Carmel, 8393510 (Druze cuisine)
HaKdira shel Noga, ** Beit Shearim, 9830730 (country)
Octagon, ** Tivon-Beit Lechem Haglilit, 6425333 (meat)
and further:
Nechalim Gan, ** Kyriat Shmona, 6904875 (French cuisine)
Decks, ** Lido beach, Tiberias, 6725513, (meat)
Pagoda, ** Lido beach, Tiberias, 6725513, (Chinese and thai cuisine ) Kosher
Gan Eden Har Cnaan, ** 6972434 (country) Kosher
Rosemarine, ** Moshav Beit Hillel, 7808699, pleasant for children (country)
Chavat Bat Ya'ar, ** Mitspe Amuka,6921788 pleasant for children (meat)
Sahara, ** Kfar Naim on the Afula Tiberias road , 6425959, in a Saharian style castle
(Middle Eastern cuisine)
Elbabor, ** Wadi Arah , El Ibrahim Junction, 6110691 (Middle Eastern cuisine)
Piciotto, ** Zichron Yaakov, 6290646 (French cuisine )
Beit Rona, **Moshav Kerem Ben Zimra, 053805349 (country)
The Herb Farm, **Gilboa, 6531093 (country)
Am-Burger, ** new commercial center, Rosh Pina, 6801592 (country)
Bat HaIkar **, Harishonim 21, Metulla 6997177 (campagne)
The Casserole of the witch and the milkman **, Moshav Nimrod, Ramat HaGolan,
6870049 (country)
Nehalim**, Gan Hatsafon mall, Huchshat Tal road, Kyriat Shmona, 6904875 (French
cuisine)
Lee'all Beirut**, Jeesh, Gush Halav road, 6989864 (Middle-Eastern)
Wine Bar at Pina BaRosh**, Hahalutsim, Rosh Pina 6936582 (various)
Babayit shel Rafa, ** Beit Professor Mor, Rosh Pina, 6936192 (meat)
Doris, ** in front of the Galilee commercial center , behind the gas station, 6801313 (meat)
Chalav, ** Upper Galilee, 6987762 (Middle Eastern cuisine)
Dag AlHaDan, Upper Galilee, 6950225 (fresh trouts, fish)
Martin's farm , Moshav Betset, Western Galilee , 9875593 (country)
Etsel Tamar, Kibbutz Ashdod Yaakov, 6756688 (country)
Iskandar, Gadot-Gonen road , 6935544 (country)
Meat Shos**, Katzrin Golan, 6963334 (country)
We suggest you call beforehand to make sure when the restaurants are open and to reserve
places
Gastronomy:
Hanamal 24, ****, Hanamal 24, Haifa,(04) 862-8899.
Uri Burri , **** Akko, 9552212 (fish)
Alumah, **** Tarshicha road, Kfar Vradim, 957477, (French cuisine)
Vintage, well worth the jouney, Kikar Kiyat 2, Haifa, entrance from Yaffo 24. Tel: 077
550-2330
Golden Coral***, Stella Maris 100, Haifa, 8314399 (Middle Eastern, Greek)
Japro***, New Hi Tech Park, Yokneam, 9891988, (Japanese and French cuisine)
Maayan Habirah, *** 4 Natanson, Haifa, 8623193 (Balkan cuisine)
Helena, *** Cesarea, 6100108 (fish)
Haneshikah, *** Zichron Yaakov, 6390133 (French cuisine )
Diana, *** Nazareth,6572919 (Middle Eastern cuisine )
Muscat, *** Mitspeh Hayamim, 6999555 (French cuisine )
Adalina, *** Kibbutz Kabri, 9952707 (country)
Abu Cristo, *** Akko, 9910065 (fish)
Jacko, **, 12 Hadekalim, Haifa, 8668813 (fish)
Middasat Hakeves, **Daliat al Carmel, 8393510 (Druze cuisine)
HaKdira shel Noga, ** Beit Shearim, 9830730 (country)
Octagon, ** Tivon-Beit Lechem Haglilit, 6425333 (meat)
and further:
Nechalim Gan, ** Kyriat Shmona, 6904875 (French cuisine)
Decks, ** Lido beach, Tiberias, 6725513, (meat)
Pagoda, ** Lido beach, Tiberias, 6725513, (Chinese and thai cuisine ) Kosher
Gan Eden Har Cnaan, ** 6972434 (country) Kosher
Rosemarine, ** Moshav Beit Hillel, 7808699, pleasant for children (country)
Chavat Bat Ya'ar, ** Mitspe Amuka,6921788 pleasant for children (meat)
Sahara, ** Kfar Naim on the Afula Tiberias road , 6425959, in a Saharian style castle
(Middle Eastern cuisine)
Elbabor, ** Wadi Arah , El Ibrahim Junction, 6110691 (Middle Eastern cuisine)
Piciotto, ** Zichron Yaakov, 6290646 (French cuisine )
Beit Rona, **Moshav Kerem Ben Zimra, 053805349 (country)
The Herb Farm, **Gilboa, 6531093 (country)
Am-Burger, ** new commercial center, Rosh Pina, 6801592 (country)
Bat HaIkar **, Harishonim 21, Metulla 6997177 (campagne)
The Casserole of the witch and the milkman **, Moshav Nimrod, Ramat HaGolan,
6870049 (country)
Nehalim**, Gan Hatsafon mall, Huchshat Tal road, Kyriat Shmona, 6904875 (French
cuisine)
Lee'all Beirut**, Jeesh, Gush Halav road, 6989864 (Middle-Eastern)
Wine Bar at Pina BaRosh**, Hahalutsim, Rosh Pina 6936582 (various)
Babayit shel Rafa, ** Beit Professor Mor, Rosh Pina, 6936192 (meat)
Doris, ** in front of the Galilee commercial center , behind the gas station, 6801313 (meat)
Chalav, ** Upper Galilee, 6987762 (Middle Eastern cuisine)
Dag AlHaDan, Upper Galilee, 6950225 (fresh trouts, fish)
Martin's farm , Moshav Betset, Western Galilee , 9875593 (country)
Etsel Tamar, Kibbutz Ashdod Yaakov, 6756688 (country)
Iskandar, Gadot-Gonen road , 6935544 (country)
Meat Shos**, Katzrin Golan, 6963334 (country)
From Haaretz
Dining Out / Haifa's hidden gem
By Daniel Rogov
Haifa's recently opened Hanamal 24 is located in the shadow of Haifa's port, not far from
the railroad tracks on a street so neglected and ugly that upon arriving, I could not help but
wonder why I had come. My apprehension increased as I entered the restaurant through an
old iron door, the kind that usually leads to warehouses as run-down as the street itself.
From there on, however, everything took a turn for the better.
The first surprise awaited in the narrow entrance hall, which was given a touch of elegance
by pale beige walls, several well-selected antique bric-a-brac and a carpeted staircase that, as
I made my way up, certainly built my expectations. At the top of the stairs I paused, taking
in the unexpected loveliness: Here in this old, completely redone warehouse awaits an
atmosphere so appealing that one needs a few moments to take it in.
Under the supervision of architect Nathan Feibish, this once ugly space has been divided
into large and small dining areas containing one to eight tables each. Each area has a
different kind of ceiling - some are arched, some sloped, some are made of brick, some of
tiles, some of wood beams. Each room has just enough dark wood to contrast with the light
walls. With a collection of antique furniture and bric-a-brac as well as fresh flowers here
and there, all in fine taste without even a hint of kitsch, this is the kind of atmosphere that
calls to mind the upper floors at Paris' Le Procope, the oldest restaurant in the world.
We were three, and our meal opened with well-made, rosemary-flavored fresh Italian
breads. In terms of shape and firmness, they were somewhere between grissini and crisp
rolls, and they were served with a good pesto sauce, a lemon-rich red pepper spread, coarse
sea salt and butter. As those were served, we each received an amuse geule of a single oyster
alongside a col d tomato gazpacho served in a small whiskey glass, as well as spooned over
the oyster. The smooth, perfectly piquant gazpacho was delicious, and the creme fraiche
dripped on top added to its charms. The oyster itself was lovely, but it would have been even
better without that bit of gazpacho; raw oysters are truly at their best when served with
nothing but a few drops of fresh lemon juice.
We continued with three formal appetizers. The first was a lovely offering of plump shrimp,
tails intact, on a bed of lime-flavored coarsely ground hummus atop a toasted but soft pita.
The second was a carpaccio of fillet of beef, cut into tissue-thin rounds and sprinkled with a
light vinaigrette, freshly ground pepper and sea salt, and Parmesan shavings. Both of those
offerings were very good, but the one that I found most pleasing was the large forest
mushrooms filled with a mixture of goats' cheese, pistachios and garlic and served on a
rich, nutty bread.
For a main course, I chose the lamb chops. The thinly sliced, succulent chops came in a
generous portion, topped with goats' cheese before being finished under a hot grill and set
on a well-made, pumpkin-rich risotto. One of my companions opted for the fillet of
drumfish, which was soft with crisp skin, and set on a bed of what chefs call "eggplant
caviar" - grilled eggplant scooped out of the shell, pureed and then mixed with finely
chopped onion, dill, salt, pepper and olive oil. The third of the main courses we tried was
mussels in a butter-rich sauce prepared with root vegetables and seasoned very nicely with
saffron.
We ordered three desserts, each of which turned out to be two or more dishes. On the first
platter, we received a caramel parfait on a thin base of almond sablee, alongside a tempting
banana-flavored brulee and a rich hot toffee cream. On the second was a Tarte Tatin with a
well-made vanilla patisserie sauce, served with a small bowl of strawberries in a sauce that
barely hinted of balsamic vinegar. The third was three cones - one filled with chocolate
ganache, the second with bitter chocolate mousse and the third with a milk chocolate
mousse. Each of the desserts was delicious enough that the thought of counting calories
never came to mind.
Throughout our meal the service was responsive and attentive, but never annoying or
disruptive. Based on the dishes we ordered, the bill for three, including closing espressos,
came to NIS 520. The wine list is a good one, and even though we selected a bottle of the
Hermitage Pied de la Cote of Jaboulet for NIS 275, good wines are available for NIS 100
and up. It is clear that chef-partners Guy Avital and Ben Rosh have quickly made this into
the most charming and exciting restaurant in Haifa, and it comfortably competes with the
best of Tel Aviv. Highly recommended.
Hanamal 24: 24 Hanamal Street, Haifa. Open Mon.-Sat., noon-midnight. Tel.: (04)
862-8899.
Dining Out / Haifa's hidden gem
By Daniel Rogov
Haifa's recently opened Hanamal 24 is located in the shadow of Haifa's port, not far from
the railroad tracks on a street so neglected and ugly that upon arriving, I could not help but
wonder why I had come. My apprehension increased as I entered the restaurant through an
old iron door, the kind that usually leads to warehouses as run-down as the street itself.
From there on, however, everything took a turn for the better.
The first surprise awaited in the narrow entrance hall, which was given a touch of elegance
by pale beige walls, several well-selected antique bric-a-brac and a carpeted staircase that, as
I made my way up, certainly built my expectations. At the top of the stairs I paused, taking
in the unexpected loveliness: Here in this old, completely redone warehouse awaits an
atmosphere so appealing that one needs a few moments to take it in.
Under the supervision of architect Nathan Feibish, this once ugly space has been divided
into large and small dining areas containing one to eight tables each. Each area has a
different kind of ceiling - some are arched, some sloped, some are made of brick, some of
tiles, some of wood beams. Each room has just enough dark wood to contrast with the light
walls. With a collection of antique furniture and bric-a-brac as well as fresh flowers here
and there, all in fine taste without even a hint of kitsch, this is the kind of atmosphere that
calls to mind the upper floors at Paris' Le Procope, the oldest restaurant in the world.
We were three, and our meal opened with well-made, rosemary-flavored fresh Italian
breads. In terms of shape and firmness, they were somewhere between grissini and crisp
rolls, and they were served with a good pesto sauce, a lemon-rich red pepper spread, coarse
sea salt and butter. As those were served, we each received an amuse geule of a single oyster
alongside a col d tomato gazpacho served in a small whiskey glass, as well as spooned over
the oyster. The smooth, perfectly piquant gazpacho was delicious, and the creme fraiche
dripped on top added to its charms. The oyster itself was lovely, but it would have been even
better without that bit of gazpacho; raw oysters are truly at their best when served with
nothing but a few drops of fresh lemon juice.
We continued with three formal appetizers. The first was a lovely offering of plump shrimp,
tails intact, on a bed of lime-flavored coarsely ground hummus atop a toasted but soft pita.
The second was a carpaccio of fillet of beef, cut into tissue-thin rounds and sprinkled with a
light vinaigrette, freshly ground pepper and sea salt, and Parmesan shavings. Both of those
offerings were very good, but the one that I found most pleasing was the large forest
mushrooms filled with a mixture of goats' cheese, pistachios and garlic and served on a
rich, nutty bread.
For a main course, I chose the lamb chops. The thinly sliced, succulent chops came in a
generous portion, topped with goats' cheese before being finished under a hot grill and set
on a well-made, pumpkin-rich risotto. One of my companions opted for the fillet of
drumfish, which was soft with crisp skin, and set on a bed of what chefs call "eggplant
caviar" - grilled eggplant scooped out of the shell, pureed and then mixed with finely
chopped onion, dill, salt, pepper and olive oil. The third of the main courses we tried was
mussels in a butter-rich sauce prepared with root vegetables and seasoned very nicely with
saffron.
We ordered three desserts, each of which turned out to be two or more dishes. On the first
platter, we received a caramel parfait on a thin base of almond sablee, alongside a tempting
banana-flavored brulee and a rich hot toffee cream. On the second was a Tarte Tatin with a
well-made vanilla patisserie sauce, served with a small bowl of strawberries in a sauce that
barely hinted of balsamic vinegar. The third was three cones - one filled with chocolate
ganache, the second with bitter chocolate mousse and the third with a milk chocolate
mousse. Each of the desserts was delicious enough that the thought of counting calories
never came to mind.
Throughout our meal the service was responsive and attentive, but never annoying or
disruptive. Based on the dishes we ordered, the bill for three, including closing espressos,
came to NIS 520. The wine list is a good one, and even though we selected a bottle of the
Hermitage Pied de la Cote of Jaboulet for NIS 275, good wines are available for NIS 100
and up. It is clear that chef-partners Guy Avital and Ben Rosh have quickly made this into
the most charming and exciting restaurant in Haifa, and it comfortably competes with the
best of Tel Aviv. Highly recommended.
Hanamal 24: 24 Hanamal Street, Haifa. Open Mon.-Sat., noon-midnight. Tel.: (04)
862-8899.
Dining Out / The Upper Galilee beckons
By Daniel Rogov
From Haaretz, 03/01/2008
Set in a rustic wood and stone building, the new wine bar at the Pina Ba'Rosh guesthouse in
Rosh Pina enjoys an exquisite view of the countryside. The bar offers a pleasant slice of
country life and calls to mind more of a relaxed, old English inn than anything one would
expect to find in the Middle East. The wine bar is situated in a long and relatively narrow
room, and its walls are lined with shelves of wine bottles. The room also has several wine
refrigerators, along with an attractive bar and several small tables. Wanting to sample
several of the various wines and take in the overall atmosphere, I took my place at the bar.
I was initially impressed by the broad selection of Israeli wines, which hail from some of the
better wineries in the Galilee, Golan Heights and other regions. The second thing to impress
was the number of wines available by the glass at prices that will positively surprise those
who make their way here from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, where prices tend to be exorbitant. I
was also pleased to note that the bartender on duty was well familiar with the wines on offer.
I sampled three good wines, starting with a glass of the Sauvignon Blanc of Dalton winery,
moving on to Tzora's red Gvat HaHalukim and continuing to the Cabernet Franc of Pelter.
The food here is the same as that served in the adjoining restaurant, Shiri's Bistro, but
offered in smaller portions appropriate for a wine bar. I started off with a rich tomato soup,
which was seasoned nicely and served with rice in it. This was followed by a small portion
of plump and tasty chicken livers, which were pink in the center as they should be and
served with a generous quantity of fried onions. I also sampled a tasty country-style dish of
whole grilled eggplant with yogurt. I went on to sample two of the meat dishes: a single
grilled lamb chop and a mini-portion of fillet steak served on a Portobello mushroom. The
juicy lamb chop was done medium-rare as requested and the steak was tender and rich in
flavor. To close my meal I enjoyed a small glass of Tzora's excellent Or dessert wine, which
was recently released.
My food bill came to NIS 150 and, considering the number of dishes I sampled, this
represents excellent value for money. Wine prices by the glass range from NIS 18-30. The
atmosphere is pleasant, the service genuinely warm and the simple but tasty food is
appropriate for the wines offered. The bar also serves as a wine shop and prices are very
competitive. Recommended for those who live in the area as well as for visitors passing
through.
The Wine Bar and Restaurant at Pina Ba'Rosh: 6 HaChalutzim St., Rosh Pina. Telephone:
(04) 693-6582; open daily 8:30 P.M.-1 A.M.
The Lebanese kitchen
Located off the main road leading to the village of Jeesh, Lee'ali Beirut is not so much
housed in a building as it is in a shack. Nor is there anything at all fancy inside, the simple
wood tables and chairs, bare wood walls decorated only by a few old posters and photos
hung somewhat casually. Even the view is nothing special. But be advised that passing by
this super-simple restaurant would be a serious error for those adventurous enough to
explore authentic Lebanese country-style cooking.
Even before the meze is served, the table is set with plates of three kind of olives - green
olives crushed in the Syrian style in a lemony sauce, firm small black olives in a piquant hot
sauce and larger black olives that have been marinated in a mixture of olive oil, sesame
seeds and finely chopped garlic. The olives themselves burst with flavor but the very best
part may be mopping up the sauces with the hot pita that is continuously served.
The meze itself is best described as humongous, so large in fact that it seems almost
impossible to finish everything that makes its way to the table. Among the very best offerings
were deep-fried cauliflower, broken into tiny bits and tossed with chick peas and a creamy
labane sauce; an eggplant puree with firm mutton meatballs, all tossed together with yogurt,
pine nuts, garlic and parsley; vine leaves stuffed with cumin- and paprika-rich rice, onion
and parsley, and whole large champignon mushrooms in a lemon-rich sauce based on egg
yolks and olive oil. So impeccably fresh, these were treats. Nor could I find anything but
pleasure in a salad of whole spinach leaves tossed with yogurt and garlic; zucchini in a rich
Bechamel sauce; and several small baladi eggplants that had been grilled, split open and
topped with rich, lemony tehina. Equally rewarding were large plates of chunky and
flavorful hummus and fried chicken liver slices doused generously with oil, wine vinegar,
lemon juice, chopped onion, parsley and ground cumin. A plate of three long, green peppers
was set out - they were so hot that our waiter warned us to use them sparingly. The only
meze dish which disappointed was the pickled cucumbers, which looked and tasted as
though they had come from a tin.
We were four for lunch, but after the massive meze, we restricted ourselves to only two main
courses. Considering the size of the dishes that appeared, it was a wise move. The first dish,
of large, plump mutton chops was simple but delicious. The succulent and delicious chops
were grilled with the fat intact, to add flavor, and were rubbed with oil and sprinkled over
with crushed garlic, black pepper and sumac. The second dish - of cubes of lamb stewed
together with onions, garlic, oil, tomatoes and chickpeas, and seasoned with allspice and
cumin - was, to quote Zorba, "splendiferous."
There was simply no way, after this quantity of food, to continue with either dessert or
pastries. However, we did go on to espresso coffees. The owner joined us and I, as the only
smoker at the table, enjoyed smoking nargila with him. Our bill for four came to an
extraordinarily reasonable NIS 440. We had brought our own wines with us but several
wines and beers are available at reasonable prices. If you live in or visit the Upper Galilee,
this restaurant is certainly not to be missed.
Lee'ali Beirut: In the village of Jeesh on the Jeesh-Sasa road (also known as the Gush
Halav road) Telephone: (04)698-9864. Open daily 10 A.M.-10 P.M.
By Daniel Rogov
From Haaretz, 03/01/2008
Set in a rustic wood and stone building, the new wine bar at the Pina Ba'Rosh guesthouse in
Rosh Pina enjoys an exquisite view of the countryside. The bar offers a pleasant slice of
country life and calls to mind more of a relaxed, old English inn than anything one would
expect to find in the Middle East. The wine bar is situated in a long and relatively narrow
room, and its walls are lined with shelves of wine bottles. The room also has several wine
refrigerators, along with an attractive bar and several small tables. Wanting to sample
several of the various wines and take in the overall atmosphere, I took my place at the bar.
I was initially impressed by the broad selection of Israeli wines, which hail from some of the
better wineries in the Galilee, Golan Heights and other regions. The second thing to impress
was the number of wines available by the glass at prices that will positively surprise those
who make their way here from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, where prices tend to be exorbitant. I
was also pleased to note that the bartender on duty was well familiar with the wines on offer.
I sampled three good wines, starting with a glass of the Sauvignon Blanc of Dalton winery,
moving on to Tzora's red Gvat HaHalukim and continuing to the Cabernet Franc of Pelter.
The food here is the same as that served in the adjoining restaurant, Shiri's Bistro, but
offered in smaller portions appropriate for a wine bar. I started off with a rich tomato soup,
which was seasoned nicely and served with rice in it. This was followed by a small portion
of plump and tasty chicken livers, which were pink in the center as they should be and
served with a generous quantity of fried onions. I also sampled a tasty country-style dish of
whole grilled eggplant with yogurt. I went on to sample two of the meat dishes: a single
grilled lamb chop and a mini-portion of fillet steak served on a Portobello mushroom. The
juicy lamb chop was done medium-rare as requested and the steak was tender and rich in
flavor. To close my meal I enjoyed a small glass of Tzora's excellent Or dessert wine, which
was recently released.
My food bill came to NIS 150 and, considering the number of dishes I sampled, this
represents excellent value for money. Wine prices by the glass range from NIS 18-30. The
atmosphere is pleasant, the service genuinely warm and the simple but tasty food is
appropriate for the wines offered. The bar also serves as a wine shop and prices are very
competitive. Recommended for those who live in the area as well as for visitors passing
through.
The Wine Bar and Restaurant at Pina Ba'Rosh: 6 HaChalutzim St., Rosh Pina. Telephone:
(04) 693-6582; open daily 8:30 P.M.-1 A.M.
The Lebanese kitchen
Located off the main road leading to the village of Jeesh, Lee'ali Beirut is not so much
housed in a building as it is in a shack. Nor is there anything at all fancy inside, the simple
wood tables and chairs, bare wood walls decorated only by a few old posters and photos
hung somewhat casually. Even the view is nothing special. But be advised that passing by
this super-simple restaurant would be a serious error for those adventurous enough to
explore authentic Lebanese country-style cooking.
Even before the meze is served, the table is set with plates of three kind of olives - green
olives crushed in the Syrian style in a lemony sauce, firm small black olives in a piquant hot
sauce and larger black olives that have been marinated in a mixture of olive oil, sesame
seeds and finely chopped garlic. The olives themselves burst with flavor but the very best
part may be mopping up the sauces with the hot pita that is continuously served.
The meze itself is best described as humongous, so large in fact that it seems almost
impossible to finish everything that makes its way to the table. Among the very best offerings
were deep-fried cauliflower, broken into tiny bits and tossed with chick peas and a creamy
labane sauce; an eggplant puree with firm mutton meatballs, all tossed together with yogurt,
pine nuts, garlic and parsley; vine leaves stuffed with cumin- and paprika-rich rice, onion
and parsley, and whole large champignon mushrooms in a lemon-rich sauce based on egg
yolks and olive oil. So impeccably fresh, these were treats. Nor could I find anything but
pleasure in a salad of whole spinach leaves tossed with yogurt and garlic; zucchini in a rich
Bechamel sauce; and several small baladi eggplants that had been grilled, split open and
topped with rich, lemony tehina. Equally rewarding were large plates of chunky and
flavorful hummus and fried chicken liver slices doused generously with oil, wine vinegar,
lemon juice, chopped onion, parsley and ground cumin. A plate of three long, green peppers
was set out - they were so hot that our waiter warned us to use them sparingly. The only
meze dish which disappointed was the pickled cucumbers, which looked and tasted as
though they had come from a tin.
We were four for lunch, but after the massive meze, we restricted ourselves to only two main
courses. Considering the size of the dishes that appeared, it was a wise move. The first dish,
of large, plump mutton chops was simple but delicious. The succulent and delicious chops
were grilled with the fat intact, to add flavor, and were rubbed with oil and sprinkled over
with crushed garlic, black pepper and sumac. The second dish - of cubes of lamb stewed
together with onions, garlic, oil, tomatoes and chickpeas, and seasoned with allspice and
cumin - was, to quote Zorba, "splendiferous."
There was simply no way, after this quantity of food, to continue with either dessert or
pastries. However, we did go on to espresso coffees. The owner joined us and I, as the only
smoker at the table, enjoyed smoking nargila with him. Our bill for four came to an
extraordinarily reasonable NIS 440. We had brought our own wines with us but several
wines and beers are available at reasonable prices. If you live in or visit the Upper Galilee,
this restaurant is certainly not to be missed.
Lee'ali Beirut: In the village of Jeesh on the Jeesh-Sasa road (also known as the Gush
Halav road) Telephone: (04)698-9864. Open daily 10 A.M.-10 P.M.
Well, and Falafel, of course!!!!
HaNamal 24
