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)
TaranTino**: Lev HaMifratz Shopping Mall, Haifa 04-8408444 (Italian)
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)
Bracha's Sandwich, 12 Shabtai Levy St., (sandwiches, see article below)
8524398, Haifa
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)
TaranTino**: Lev HaMifratz Shopping Mall, Haifa 04-8408444 (Italian)
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)
Bracha's Sandwich, 12 Shabtai Levy St., (sandwiches, see article below)
8524398, Haifa
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
Bracha's Sandwich, 12 Shabtai Levy
St., Haifa, (04) 852-4398
Cafe B'Klil, Kid friendly:
a restaurant in a Beduin tent, with
music performance in the Western
Galilee, open on weekends only
,9969432( Vegetarian dairy), Klil,
Western Galilee (near Nahariya)
St., Haifa, (04) 852-4398
Cafe B'Klil, Kid friendly:
a restaurant in a Beduin tent, with
music performance in the Western
Galilee, open on weekends only
,9969432( Vegetarian dairy), Klil,
Western Galilee (near Nahariya)
Pleasure hunting / How to feed the sandwich generation
By Ronit Vered from Haaretz-travel
The Legend: Bracha's sandwich
The source of the heady, fragrant cloud that surrounds Bracha Shmueli's small
kingdom is the cheese and ham sizzling together on the red-hot plancha (grill).
This tasty combination could have flourished only in Haifa, a city that has always
been particularly open to the charms of these foods, along with those of bacon,
mortadella and salami, manufactured in small, local, family-owned places or
imported by seamen who have seen a port or two.
Whatever the case, the name of the sandwich ordered here by regular customers
or chance diners is the "omelet Casanova" or "Amnon sandwich" - a nod to the
founder of the legendary Haifa sandwich bar. It usually begins with the same
pretty picture: The melted cheese protects the pinkish ham, while two inside out
slices of a spongy homemade roll are browning nearby on the red-hot surface. On
top of the toasted roll, a captivating combination of softness and crispness,
Bracha constructs a layered work of art: hot red pepper spread, homemade
mayonnaise, potato salad, a tower of fresh vegetables, ham and cheese from the
plancha and, on top of it all, cold slices of roast beef, mortadella or French
salami.
The result is hot and moist, thanks to the grease of the cheese and sausages, and
the juices of the tomatoes and wonderful spreads; the sandwich takes on a fresh
flavor thanks to the crispness of the fresh lettuce leaves; and in total contrast to
all sandwich logic, it turns out that ham and roast beef, or any other strange
combination of cold cuts, go together wonderfully.
For 38 years Bracha has been standing behind the small, gleaming counter,
constructing each sandwich with maternal care, disdainfully rejecting suggestions
of compromising with inferior raw materials such as industrially produced
ciabatta or Thousand Island dressing. One can only say: May she live to be 120.
Bracha's Sandwich, 12 Shabtai Levy St., Haifa, (04) 852-4398
By Ronit Vered from Haaretz-travel
The Legend: Bracha's sandwich
The source of the heady, fragrant cloud that surrounds Bracha Shmueli's small
kingdom is the cheese and ham sizzling together on the red-hot plancha (grill).
This tasty combination could have flourished only in Haifa, a city that has always
been particularly open to the charms of these foods, along with those of bacon,
mortadella and salami, manufactured in small, local, family-owned places or
imported by seamen who have seen a port or two.
Whatever the case, the name of the sandwich ordered here by regular customers
or chance diners is the "omelet Casanova" or "Amnon sandwich" - a nod to the
founder of the legendary Haifa sandwich bar. It usually begins with the same
pretty picture: The melted cheese protects the pinkish ham, while two inside out
slices of a spongy homemade roll are browning nearby on the red-hot surface. On
top of the toasted roll, a captivating combination of softness and crispness,
Bracha constructs a layered work of art: hot red pepper spread, homemade
mayonnaise, potato salad, a tower of fresh vegetables, ham and cheese from the
plancha and, on top of it all, cold slices of roast beef, mortadella or French
salami.
The result is hot and moist, thanks to the grease of the cheese and sausages, and
the juices of the tomatoes and wonderful spreads; the sandwich takes on a fresh
flavor thanks to the crispness of the fresh lettuce leaves; and in total contrast to
all sandwich logic, it turns out that ham and roast beef, or any other strange
combination of cold cuts, go together wonderfully.
For 38 years Bracha has been standing behind the small, gleaming counter,
constructing each sandwich with maternal care, disdainfully rejecting suggestions
of compromising with inferior raw materials such as industrially produced
ciabatta or Thousand Island dressing. One can only say: May she live to be 120.
Bracha's Sandwich, 12 Shabtai Levy St., Haifa, (04) 852-4398
Where to eat in the Wadi
Falafel of the golden age
- wadi 18, Haifa
Allenby Restaurant
- Allenby 43, Haifa
Nadima Restaurant
- John 35, Haifa
Restaurant Meter Meter
- wadi 34, Haifa
Falafel Michel
- wadi 21, Haifa
Fish restaurant "Posy"
- John 33, Haifa
Falafel George
- John 26, Haifa
Mama Pita
- Allenby 57, Haifa
Patisserie shawarma Mizrach
- Allenby 34, Haifa
Bakery Abed Alhadi Shehadeh,
- Shelach 3, Haifa
Bakery Massad
- Allenby 25, Haifa
Shawarma brothers Sabah
- Allenby 37, Haifa
Shawarma Emil
- Allenby 33, Haifa
Shawarma Janam
- Allenby 41, Haifa
Shawarma Khazin
- Shabtai Levi 15, Haifa
Corner Hamenakis
- wadi 44, Haifa
Corner Brothers Grayesi
- Allenby 18, Haifa
Pizza Vino Vino
- Blvd Zionism 31, Haifa
Pizza Sky
- Huri 15, Haifa
Shish-kebab Asli
- Shabtai Levy 9, Haifa
Bakery Huri
- Huri 43, Haifa
House pastry Pepera
- wadi 41, Haifa
Bakery of the wadi
- John 36, Haifa
House pastry Altabon
- Huri 24, Haifa
Chicken House Baguette
- Shabtai Levi 11, Haifa
Abu Kara Center
- 45 Huri , Haifa
Falafel of the golden age
- wadi 18, Haifa
Allenby Restaurant
- Allenby 43, Haifa
Nadima Restaurant
- John 35, Haifa
Restaurant Meter Meter
- wadi 34, Haifa
Falafel Michel
- wadi 21, Haifa
Fish restaurant "Posy"
- John 33, Haifa
Falafel George
- John 26, Haifa
Mama Pita
- Allenby 57, Haifa
Patisserie shawarma Mizrach
- Allenby 34, Haifa
Bakery Abed Alhadi Shehadeh,
- Shelach 3, Haifa
Bakery Massad
- Allenby 25, Haifa
Shawarma brothers Sabah
- Allenby 37, Haifa
Shawarma Emil
- Allenby 33, Haifa
Shawarma Janam
- Allenby 41, Haifa
Shawarma Khazin
- Shabtai Levi 15, Haifa
Corner Hamenakis
- wadi 44, Haifa
Corner Brothers Grayesi
- Allenby 18, Haifa
Pizza Vino Vino
- Blvd Zionism 31, Haifa
Pizza Sky
- Huri 15, Haifa
Shish-kebab Asli
- Shabtai Levy 9, Haifa
Bakery Huri
- Huri 43, Haifa
House pastry Pepera
- wadi 41, Haifa
Bakery of the wadi
- John 36, Haifa
House pastry Altabon
- Huri 24, Haifa
Chicken House Baguette
- Shabtai Levi 11, Haifa
Abu Kara Center
- 45 Huri , Haifa
Gastronomic Tourism
Traditions
Biblical times (wine, olive oil,
cereals, honey)
cruisaders (spices to hide the taste
of bad meat, shallots)
ottoman empire (burrekas, humus,
tabouleh, falafel, techina,
eggplants, labene, shishlik)
and new immigrants
austrian and german (shnitzel,
strudel)
marocans, (shakshuka, moufflettes)
italians, (artichauts, pasta)
indians (dahl)
americans (hamburger)
russians(blimis, charcuterie,dark
bread, smoked fish, gerkins)
polish (gefilte fish, liver, tsimmes)
french (cheeses, cakes)
Traditions
Biblical times (wine, olive oil,
cereals, honey)
cruisaders (spices to hide the taste
of bad meat, shallots)
ottoman empire (burrekas, humus,
tabouleh, falafel, techina,
eggplants, labene, shishlik)
and new immigrants
austrian and german (shnitzel,
strudel)
marocans, (shakshuka, moufflettes)
italians, (artichauts, pasta)
indians (dahl)
americans (hamburger)
russians(blimis, charcuterie,dark
bread, smoked fish, gerkins)
polish (gefilte fish, liver, tsimmes)
french (cheeses, cakes)
Tarantino
Daniel Rogov
With its combination of industrial and commercial buildings - nearly all plastered
with advertising signs as badly designed as the buildings themselves - and
sidewalks that never seem quite clean, there are probably few streets in the world
more ugly than Haifa's Hahistradut Street. Even the facade of the still relatively
new Lev HaMifratz shopping mall seems somehow vulgar. One can avoid this
ugliness by arriving by train instead of car but even then, once in the mall all
seems to be clustered confusion, with very little to beckon the sophisticated
shopper.
As in nearly all malls, a section is set aside for dining featuring primarily
mass-market restaurants. What brought me here was hearing that an Italian
restaurant, TaranTino, had opened. Considering that Leon Alkelai is the
consulting chef to the restaurant, I thought the trip worthwhile.
The restaurant itself, like many mass-market eateries of this nature, is attractive
but has a distinctly artificial personality. The brick arches, tile floors and a small
fountain with a marker indicating that it stands 2,227 kilometers from Rome all
seem designed to give one a sense of being somewhere other than Haifa. The
photos of gondolas in Venice add to that feeling. What breaks the illusion,
however, are the large video screens showing performances of not-at-all Italian
songs by not-at-all Italian singers.
Considering that atmosphere is not all, my two companions and I went on to
order. We started off with a mixed warm vegetarian antipasti platter that
surprised both by being genuinely Italian and quite good. Several boiled artichoke
hearts and halved heads of baked fennel were soft, sweet and delicious; the
eggplant slices, happily not overcooked, had just the right hint of bitterness, and
wedges of sweet potatoes and zucchini filled the platter nicely. In what was clearly
a wise move, several slices of beets had been placed in a separate small plate,
thankfully preventing the other ingredients from turning red. Sprinkled with
rosemary and a light hint of lemon and served with a freshly baked individually
sized foccaccia, this simple but well prepared offering gave ample pleasure.
We followed this with a shared pizza Siciliana - a thin crusted pizza topped with
tuna, capers, anchovies and black olives on a bed of tomato sauce and mozzarella
cheese. The crust was fine and the topping equally good.
The next two first courses were not as successful. In one, a salad containing
calamari rings, celery, onion and carrots came in a sauce that was so bland that it
was almost unfelt, and the calamari was far too rubbery to enjoy. As for the
carpaccio of fillet of beef, sprinkled rather generously with balsamic vinegar,
coarse salt, ground black pepper, olive oil and rocket - let it only be said that the
meat was far to brown as if it had been sitting too long in the open air and, to add
insult to injury, the beef was grainy enough that it stuck to the roof of the mouth.
This improved dramatically with the serving of our main courses. A portion of
raviolis, larger than usual and filled with a mixture of finely ground shrimps,
calamari and crab meat was lovely, the pasta just thick enough to hold the filling
but soft enough to melt on the tongue. The filling itself was full of fresh seafood
flavors, and the light cream sauce spooned over the dish was equally rewarding.
My own choice, the scaloppini Milanese, was excellent, a beef fillet pounded until
it was thin and broad enough to almost cover the plate, coated with eggs and
breadcrumbs, and fried until the coating was crisp and the meat just soft enough.
Served with a small bowl of tartar sauce, made in the traditional way by
combining mayonnaise and finely chopped pickles, capers and onions and with
small baked potatoes that had been sprinkled with rosemary, the dish was more
Viennese than Milanese but so tasty that it offered no cause for complaint.
The lasagna Bolognese that we tried, prepared in an individual baking dish, was
not quite as tempting, having plenty of chopped beef but lacking the traditional
pancetta, onions and white wine that can add so much to this dish. With good
closing espresso coffees we sampled two desserts: the first a generous portion of
good, but not special tiramisu, and a Sicilian style cheesecake served in a glass,
more a pudding than a cake and rather boring.
Our food bill for three came to NIS 410, to which a bottle of the Barbera d'Asti of
Michele Chiarlo added NIS 135. Worth visiting if one takes care in selecting the
dishes - and if you happen to find yourself at this particular shopping mall.
TaranTino: Lev HaMifratz Shopping Mall, Haifa. Open daily midday-00:30 A.M.
Tel: 04-8408444.
Daniel Rogov
With its combination of industrial and commercial buildings - nearly all plastered
with advertising signs as badly designed as the buildings themselves - and
sidewalks that never seem quite clean, there are probably few streets in the world
more ugly than Haifa's Hahistradut Street. Even the facade of the still relatively
new Lev HaMifratz shopping mall seems somehow vulgar. One can avoid this
ugliness by arriving by train instead of car but even then, once in the mall all
seems to be clustered confusion, with very little to beckon the sophisticated
shopper.
As in nearly all malls, a section is set aside for dining featuring primarily
mass-market restaurants. What brought me here was hearing that an Italian
restaurant, TaranTino, had opened. Considering that Leon Alkelai is the
consulting chef to the restaurant, I thought the trip worthwhile.
The restaurant itself, like many mass-market eateries of this nature, is attractive
but has a distinctly artificial personality. The brick arches, tile floors and a small
fountain with a marker indicating that it stands 2,227 kilometers from Rome all
seem designed to give one a sense of being somewhere other than Haifa. The
photos of gondolas in Venice add to that feeling. What breaks the illusion,
however, are the large video screens showing performances of not-at-all Italian
songs by not-at-all Italian singers.
Considering that atmosphere is not all, my two companions and I went on to
order. We started off with a mixed warm vegetarian antipasti platter that
surprised both by being genuinely Italian and quite good. Several boiled artichoke
hearts and halved heads of baked fennel were soft, sweet and delicious; the
eggplant slices, happily not overcooked, had just the right hint of bitterness, and
wedges of sweet potatoes and zucchini filled the platter nicely. In what was clearly
a wise move, several slices of beets had been placed in a separate small plate,
thankfully preventing the other ingredients from turning red. Sprinkled with
rosemary and a light hint of lemon and served with a freshly baked individually
sized foccaccia, this simple but well prepared offering gave ample pleasure.
We followed this with a shared pizza Siciliana - a thin crusted pizza topped with
tuna, capers, anchovies and black olives on a bed of tomato sauce and mozzarella
cheese. The crust was fine and the topping equally good.
The next two first courses were not as successful. In one, a salad containing
calamari rings, celery, onion and carrots came in a sauce that was so bland that it
was almost unfelt, and the calamari was far too rubbery to enjoy. As for the
carpaccio of fillet of beef, sprinkled rather generously with balsamic vinegar,
coarse salt, ground black pepper, olive oil and rocket - let it only be said that the
meat was far to brown as if it had been sitting too long in the open air and, to add
insult to injury, the beef was grainy enough that it stuck to the roof of the mouth.
This improved dramatically with the serving of our main courses. A portion of
raviolis, larger than usual and filled with a mixture of finely ground shrimps,
calamari and crab meat was lovely, the pasta just thick enough to hold the filling
but soft enough to melt on the tongue. The filling itself was full of fresh seafood
flavors, and the light cream sauce spooned over the dish was equally rewarding.
My own choice, the scaloppini Milanese, was excellent, a beef fillet pounded until
it was thin and broad enough to almost cover the plate, coated with eggs and
breadcrumbs, and fried until the coating was crisp and the meat just soft enough.
Served with a small bowl of tartar sauce, made in the traditional way by
combining mayonnaise and finely chopped pickles, capers and onions and with
small baked potatoes that had been sprinkled with rosemary, the dish was more
Viennese than Milanese but so tasty that it offered no cause for complaint.
The lasagna Bolognese that we tried, prepared in an individual baking dish, was
not quite as tempting, having plenty of chopped beef but lacking the traditional
pancetta, onions and white wine that can add so much to this dish. With good
closing espresso coffees we sampled two desserts: the first a generous portion of
good, but not special tiramisu, and a Sicilian style cheesecake served in a glass,
more a pudding than a cake and rather boring.
Our food bill for three came to NIS 410, to which a bottle of the Barbera d'Asti of
Michele Chiarlo added NIS 135. Worth visiting if one takes care in selecting the
dishes - and if you happen to find yourself at this particular shopping mall.
TaranTino: Lev HaMifratz Shopping Mall, Haifa. Open daily midday-00:30 A.M.
Tel: 04-8408444.
Chez Martin et Sylvette
Nordau avenue 24, Haifa
Salads, homemade sherbets and ice creams
Nordau avenue 24, Haifa
Salads, homemade sherbets and ice creams
Traditionnal shipudia:Ben Hamo Grilled Meat, Old
Industrial Zone of Or Akiva, (04) 610-0463
Industrial Zone of Or Akiva, (04) 610-0463