White nun dress girl with nursing hands,

White nun dress girl with nursing hands,
Sympathetic believing eyes, religious fervor.
Public Puritan , respected, responsible,
Saving bodies, perhaps even souls.
Goodwill zealot, firmly perched 
On pedestals of virtue, laurels bestowed. 
In angelic light no vices encroach, 
A beatific Beauty beyond reproach. 

Collar caressing, leash attached,
Slut bitch crawling a decadent dance.
Behind the shades, private confessions, 
Of passionate desires deeply entrenched. 
To kneel, to grovel, to completely submit, 
To beg to be beaten with a black leather whip. 
Tumultuous cravings to fly ever higher 
A mystical Beauty with a Queen's dark fire.

Desire’s nectar sweeter than the sweetest wine…

There is ...
          no furnace hotter than the seat of passion’s flower…
          no fragnant  sweeter  than the bearded clam
          no tastier than the furry taco  
          no forcemore shattering above  or beneath earth
          no shattering moments more than the vertical smile 
that can stand against it’s power.

And now the weary gloom my soul… 
dost wail in fitful turn…
longing ever longing… a strapping hefty toll.

Desire’s nectar sweeter than the sweetest wine…
engulfs my very shadow…
reality weeps remembering those moments; pressing against my mind.

But love… true love… even the simpleton knows…
comes resting midst the thorns …
that bears the lovely rose.

Her fragrance embraces me everywhere…
her face as fine as gold ….
And I to guard with earnest care…
her heart I’ll defend… 
and with my honor hold.

Jerusalem : To love it, is first to explore it

On earth,
in his beloved Jerusalem,
he could often be found in that tiny café
on King George,
sipping black coffee.
Everyone knew who he was,
but they all left him alone.
Later, he would shop in the shuk
like everyone else,
take a seat in the back of the bus,
put down his bags of fruits and vegetables,
and dream a little
till the bus reached his stop.
Everyone else was asleep
when he rose at four in the morning
to jot down the poems hidden in the corners
of his city.
This was his secret life.


On his seventieth birthday he whispered,
I’m tired of giving birth,
and it seemed to be true.
His face was tired,
even his eyes,
and yet something continued to burn.
I’ve learned the secret
of fertilizing myself, he told me.
I supply both egg and seed.
But I’m tired of giving birth


At seventy-six
he took leave of this world
quietly,
as one would expect of such a modest man.
Presidents and prime ministers spoke at his funeral;
thousands gathered to pay their respects.
When he reached heaven,
he was greeted by his heroes,
King David and Shmuel ha-Nagid,
along with hundreds of his poems,
their flying letters swirling around him.

The angels, delighted to welcome him,
offered him a pair of wings,
but he declined, saying,
It’s enough if my words have wings.
Tell me, where are the cafés

Other souls
wander the streets of Paradise like tourists,
staring at the heavenly temple
or taking a seat at the back of Rashi’s class.
Not Yehuda.
He’s still longing for the ruins
of the earthly temple,
for the ancient stones of his earthly city,
for all the sheets hung out to dry,
flapping like sails in the wind.

Thoughts of her constantly fill my days,

Thoughts of her constantly fill my days,
Dreams of her torment my nights; 
Every time I close my eyes I can't breathe,
My insides, wound up so tight
And my heart stuck in my throat.

Wife asks, "What are you thinking about?"
"You, honey," I reply. A blatant lie.
Meanwhile, my lover snickers from the shadows
Of my mind, her soft hand trailing up my thigh.

Restless, I toss and turn; sleep eludes me
As I relive my delicious sin once again.
Her eyes were filled with passion, wild and free
Just once, I told myself, and my life as is would remain.

But it wasn't the case; now I long for more,
The weight and feel of her body on mine to explore,
To lose myself in his embrace and be found once more...
I want her as I've never wanted anyone before.

So many ways to say "I love you,"

So many ways to say "I love you,"
And more ways to show you I care
And what I wouldn't give to see
Your beautiful smile as you stand there
In front of me.

How many nights have I dreamt of you?
How many nights have I ached for your touch?
How many nights must I lie in my empty bed
Waiting for you, wanting you so much?

You always fill my days with joy, my nights with love
I know that you were sent to me from high above
The clouds, that I shall see one day
As I make my way to you, I pray
That I can make my home with you and stay...

Until then, I will let you know how special you are
To me, how much clearer I can see the stars
Through your eyes, how much I love you
I will adore you until the end of time...

And I thank God every day that you are mine

Arbor Vitae ...Licking Greek Honey

Nobody can resist Greek honey,
Especially drizzled on an erect Arbor Vitae.
Glistening gold in the candlelight,
Come here, baby. I wanna lick it off.

Sticky and sweet, made from bees
Making love to flowers, from across the sea
To land in your lap, your erection
Eager for my waiting tongue.

I want to taste you, your essence
Mingling with the thick sweetness
Of Greek honey, the nectar that 
Few can ignore, no one can refuse...

I know I can't.

Blacked Attention by the Bard of Bat Yam , Poet Laureate of Zion

She wears all black, despite the heat
It adds to her exotic mystique.
People watch her walk down the street
Staring from her head down to her feet.

"What the fuck is this?" She thinks toherself,
As they watch her move, looking scared as hell
Their eyes wide asshe passes them by,
Faces of small children, ready to cry.

There's no need to fear her, little ones.
She won't hurt you in any way.
If anyone has to be afraid, it'll be mher child
That sheI'll bear if I decide to stay.

Moms look at her with narrowed eyes,
Old ladies clutch their purses to their sides.
Sudden click of a car door lock, hey guys!
She couldn't give less of a shit about your ride.

Is this the kind of place to raise her  kid in?
Ten good people for every asshole, but goddamn!
What is this place? Why does she  have to face
The same shit each time at  every  door?

Still, she  can't wait to see what else is in store.

Vernacular of Love by the Bard of Bat Yam, Poet Laureate of Zion

So many ways to say "I love you,"
And more ways to show you I care
And what I wouldn't give to see
Your beautiful smile as you stand there
In front of me.

How many nights have I dreamt of you?
How many nights have I ached for your touch?
How many nights must I lie in my empty bed
Waiting for you, wanting you so much?

You always fill my days with joy, my nights with love
I know that you were sent to me from high above
The clouds, that I shall see one day
As I make my way to you, I pray
That I can make my home with you and stay...

Until then, I will let you know how special you are
To me, how much clearer I can see the stars
Through your eyes, how much I love you
I will adore you until the end of time...

And I thank God every day that you are mine.

My Havest of Betterness by The Bard of Bat Yam, Poet Laureate of Zion

My love, I sow the seeds for your return,
Tending to the garden of my despair.
Watering the plants with my endless tears,
My grief is their food; they flourish under my care.

The moon, red as blood, rises in the sky.
I say the words to bring you back, my heart aches
For you to fill it with life once more. 
Come to me, my darling. My bitter harvest awaits.

Absence of Love

Like the ebb and flow of tides on the sea,
He rocks in and out of me.
In my mind, I lie on the sandy beach
Staring blankly at the waves, trying in vain to reach...what?

I feel nothing.

I turn my head, hiding my tears of fustration from prying eyes.
she knows something's wrong, sees the pain I can't disguise
But what can she do? She feels as helpless as I.
We grind and thrust to no end, I silently cry.

I am lost.

Go ahead and come, I tell her with my gaze.
Her concern is evident even as her hips raise
Against mine.Her eyes ask: What about you?
The familiar lie: It's all right, do what you have to do.

I feel cheated.

She is free to move, pounding me towards release.
I have no choice but to hang on, waiting for her to cease
And I weep inside for all I miss,
I drown in the sorrow that begins from the first kiss...

I am numb.

Yakota (Rav Yisrael Yakov Landau from Be’er Sheva) 27 Mordei HaGataot, corner of 18 Anilevich, Be’er Sheva Phone: 08-6232689 Opening Hours: Sun – Thurs : 12:00 – 24:00 Fri : 11:00 – 1 hour before shabbat

Yakota (Rav Yisrael Yakov Landau from Be’er Sheva)

27 Mordei HaGataot, corner of 18 Anilevich, Be’er Sheva
Phone: 08-6232689
Opening Hours: Sun – Thurs : 12:00 – 24:00
Fri : 11:00 – 1 hour before shabbat
Type: Meat
Price Range: I forgot to write it down, as I was so fascinated by what I was reading on the menu! Med- High range

Yakota is a Moroccan Restaurant in the fourth largest city in Israel – Be’er Sheva.

As you walk through the Old City looking for the restaurant, you finally come across a building where the windows are shaped in a Moroccan style and you realise – you found it! You walk into Yakota and there’s Moroccan designs on the walls and the table settings are in the same style. Only after leaving the restaurant, I noticed that there is a theater opposite it.

When I perused the menu some of this food seemed too daring even for me try! There were bulls feet(ker’a) and calf stomach stew (kersha). You could get spleen, veal tonsils, bull’s testicles, calf lungs.. I think you get the picture I’m guessing they promote nose to tail eating and therefore not wasting any part of the animal. Mind you, you can also order normal animal parts – as you will see.

The owner came out to help us with our menu selection. He’s the type of owner/chef that loves his food and clientele. His passion for food rubs off on his guests and you get swept up in the moment. He didn’t recommend any of the exotic dishes but something that we might enjoy.

As a starting point to the hidden banquet, we were served nine dips with Moroccan and normal bread. The breads were warm and soft and just fluffy goodness, even though they were flat.


different dips

The first dip was orange with a touch of rosewater, almonds and craisins. The flavor combinations were something my palate wasn’t used to and I thoroughly enjoyed them. There were soft Moroccan artichokes with subtle flavors and a hint of chili that wasn’t overpowering. I also might have detected some cardamom in this dish but I didn’t verify the flavor.

After this was sweet roasted capsicum containing a bit of spice. We then tasted the baba ganoush, where the smokiness of the eggplant didn’t outshine the other flavors. The Moroccan eggplant dip was also smoky but contained a slight kick to it. There was a normal plain tomato salad and some pickled vegetables. To finish off all these tastings (which were a meal in themselves) we had Moroccan vine leaves.


Pastia

Entree was Pastia. As the waitress brought out the dish I could smell my favorite spice cinnamon! Pastia is crunchy filo pastry filled with mushrooms, craisins and cinnamon with icing sugar on top. This has to be one of the most interesting starts to a meal that I’ve experienced in a long time. This entree was amazing in flavors and so different. I was excited for the Mains!


Main dishes

The mains we ordered were shared dishes, which we were happy about when we saw the portion sizes. We even had leftovers after the meal! First was a lamb stew. The lamb was falling to pieces- it was so tender because of the length of the cooking time. It tasted very lamby. The vegetables included were hard to taste, as the dish had been cooking all day.


Coscous

The second dish was veal in tomato with a bit of spice – and once again the meat just melted in your mouth. The couscous served on the side with sweet carrots and buttery pumpkin was delicious and it was a great way to soak up the amazing sauces from the two stews.

Dessert could’ve been a meal by itself, as there were two tiers of tasting cakes. One taster had a crunchy base with a sponge in it.


Dessert tier

The second cake contained peanuts which was sweet and crunchy with a slight bitter after taste. There was a cupcake with pink icing- I thought this one was for kids. There was one chocolate coating cake and a semolina pastry. There was another pastry with sesame seeds and sweet syrup and the last was a coconut meringue.

All I can say is that Yakota puts Darna in Jerusalem to shame! It’s definitely worthwhile making the trip to Be’er Sheva – only one hour by car from Jerusalem, or one and half hours by bus and a bit over an hour via train from Tel Aviv. You can walk to the restaurant from the train/bus station in Be’er Sheva or get a taxi, as they are cheap.

Modern (Rabbanut Jerusalem) Rachov Ruppin 11, Israel Museum, Jerusalem Phone: 02-6480862 Opening Hours: Sun – Thurs 12:00 – 17:00; Dinner – Tuesday only till 22:30

Modern (Rabbanut Jerusalem)

Rachov Ruppin 11, Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Phone: 02-6480862
Opening Hours: Sun – Thurs 12:00 – 17:00; Dinner – Tuesday only till 22:30
Type: Meat
Price Range: 30-49nis – Entree
62-130nis – Mains
32-36nis – Desserts

When you walk into Modern, you can see that this restaurant is.. well very modern, with its clean cut lines and simple furniture. There are large group tables, round family tables, as well as smaller tables for two and four people – allowing the restaurant to cater for different seating arrangements, without having to move furniture around.


Leek and Chard Patties


Salmon Steak

Entree was leek and chard patties, which were crispy. However, the dish was very spicy which I felt overpowered the delicate flavors of the vegetables. When I tried a piece of leek, all I could taste was pepper. Not only was black pepper used but chili was included, leaving a hot flavor at the back of my throat. The only thing I liked about this dish was that the patties weren’t oily.

I wasn’t surprised that my main dish of salmon steak cooked in a tabun oven wasn’t hot, considering that the waiters kept bringing it out before I finished my entree – and I kept sending it back. The salmon was still moist but I found that it was raw in the thickest part of the steak. The peanut sauce was sweet and went well with the salmon. The sweet potato mash was smooth and I enjoyed the roast garlic that was served on the side, which added another dimension to the dish.

Some might ask, ‘Was there too much sweetness in the dish from the mash and salmon?’ I didn’t find it so, as they were different types of sweetness which complemented each other.


Filo Cigars

Dessert was filo pastry cigars with nuts and ice-cream. The cigar was crunchy, though it maybe had too many layers of filo pastry. The dry almond filling had a mild flavor and a syrup would’ve been a great way to add some much needed moisture to this dish. The ice-cream served was smooth in texture and sweet but didn’t have a lot of flavor. One could say that the ice-cream was meant to provide the moisture for the dish, but I didn’t think so.

Overall I was disappointed with this restaurant as the food didn’t meet my expectations. On top of this, for the price I paid I usually receive some sort of taster before the entree – Modern did not provide these.

It is a handy restaurant if you’re in the Israel Museum vicinity. However, now that Cinema City is just down the road, I’m sure you could find a better kosher restaurant there, just by hopping on a bus or even walking.

Gush Etzion Winery Tzomet Gush Etzion – adjacent to Alon Shvut Phone: 02-9309220 Opening Hours: Sun – Thurs 9:00-23:00 Fri 9:00-13:00 Saturday: 1 hr after shabbat – 24:00 (during winter)

At The Winery

Gush Etzion Winery
Tzomet Gush Etzion – adjacent to Alon Shvut
Phone: 02-9309220
Opening Hours: Sun – Thurs 9:00-23:00
Fri 9:00-13:00
Saturday: 1 hr after shabbat – 24:00 (during winter)
Type: Dairy

Brekkie – 39-98nis
Focaccia Sandwiches 39-46nis
Starters 30-68nis
Fish – 85-110nis
Salads – 23-66nis
Pizza – 52-58nis
Focaccia – 38/39nis
Pasta – 49-58nis
Specials 54-66nis
Desserts – 16-44nis

The winery is right at Tzomet Gush Etzion (or Tzomet HaGush), which is the perfect location for a stop in the region for breakfast, lunch or dinner. As you walk into the winery there are large wooden tables, walls filled with wine, Lavie liquor (some of the best liquor you can find), Tishbi jams and olive oil. I noticed subtle background music.


stuffed zucchini

The service was prompt. Water was brought to our table as we were seated, and our orders were taken quickly. We ordered starters and mains, the only mishap being that they brought them out together, apologising later for misunderstanding us.

Our waiter brought out sesame seed bread that was served at room temperature, with sun-dried tomato, dill and garlic butter that was delicious. The flavours of the butter were balanced really well.

Our first course was goats cheese zucchini, stuffed with whole wheat, rice, fried onion and bread crumbs with a hint of lemon and parsley. The zucchini was cooked separately with olive oil. You could see how it was caramelised. Yoghurt provided acidity and rice absorbed the flavours.


eggplant labneh

Our next portion was a labaneh eggplant dish. The labneh was home made and the eggplant was a bit acidic with a mild smoky flavour, and no bitterness could be detected . The cherry tomatoes balanced the flavours by adding some sweetness to the dish. Maybe a few more tomatoes were needed to add a bit more sweetness to remove the mild sour flavour of the cheese.


sweet potato ravioli

Our first main was sweet potato ravioli. This dish had a beautiful pasta dough that was rolled thinly and the sauce was delicious, containing finely chopped mushrooms in coconut milk. However there wasn’t enough filling in the ravioli and not enough sauce. Without the sauce the ravioli was a bit dry and I found that it dried out my mouth.


fish and chips

The St Peters fish and chips we ordered was served with multipe dipping sauces. The steak chips were slighty seasoned, not oily but weren’t crunchy. There were six pieces of beer battered fish, not oily and not overcooked. The fish had been pin boned and the beer batter added some sweetness. A clever touch was the rocket at the bottom of the plate to absorb and hide the oil. A spicy thousand island sauce and aoili with garlic and a mayo and lemon sauce were served on the side.


chocolate souffle

My main reason for coming to this restaurant was for the chocolate soufflé. It arrived piping hot from the oven, with a soft centre, a crunchy chocolate top and it was just delicious because it wasn’t overly sweet. It was a proper soufflé too – the top rises up from the ramiken – something that no other restaurants do in this country. So at least now you know where to find a proper chocolate soufflé.

This is a really nice restaurant to visit, only 15-20 minutes from Jerusalem. It has plenty of seating inside, a private dining room, outdoor seating and an events garden ,Kerem Tamar. They also offer wine tasting and tours of the winery.


Update 21/9/2015: Went back to the restaurant with 6 people on a Friday morning for breakfast and the service was really bad. It took a long time for water to come to the table, everyone’s food came at a different time when it finally did come. They did try to make it up by bringing a free dessert. I would think twice before coming back.

Goshen 37 Nachalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv Phone: 03-5600766 Opening hours: Sun- Thurs 12noon – midnight Saturday Night- 1 hour after shabbat ends – midnight

A very peppery meal


Goshen

37 Nachalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv
Phone: 03-5600766
Opening hours: Sun- Thurs 12noon – midnight
Saturday Night- 1 hour after shabbat ends – midnight
Type: Meat

First course – 22-68nis
Main course – 42-200nis

Goshen is a restaurant that is listed on all the foodie websites as one of the number one restaurants to go to in Tel Aviv. After living four years in Israel and wanting to visit it for a long time I final got around to going there.

As we walked in I straight way noticed loud music and kids running around. The restaurant wasn’t full, as it was early, so maybe it was ok for kids to do what they like? My attention was then drawn to to menu, where We decided to have the tasting menu, but there were a few gotchas: 1. everyone at the table had to have it and 2. there were a lot of entrées that weren’t included in the deal. We negotiated that 2 of the 3 diners would have the tasting menu and the other companion was able to order other food.


house salad


mushroom ravioli

The first entrée I tasted was the mushroom ravioli. I found the pasta not cooked al dente – it could’ve done with a an extra minute or two. The mushrooms were soft and the dish was a bit too acidic for my palate. There were some peas on the plate which added some freshness to the dish. A house salad was served, as part of the meal on the house. Initially the salad was very refreshing – especially when eating it with the ravioli, however, as we continued eating it, it became very hot/spicy from all the mustard seeds that were included.

The next entrée was chicken liver. Now I must tell you that I’m not a fan of liver, though I did try some and I found that it was tender and the raisins added some sweetness.


ceviche

The third entrée was ceviche. It was interesting as it had an Israeli twist – tehina. I would’ve called this entrée a salad, as rocket leaves were used effectively to add bitterness to the dish and were not chopped finely. I found that the fish wasn’t cut into small dices, it was cut into strips length ways and some of the membrane was left on. Coriander leaves were used, adding some freshness and pine nuts were also included. The bread served was a bit soggy – because it had sat under the fish for too long.

After we finished entrée, the plates were cleared except the ceviche plate. It also took a while for the main course to be served.


herb crusted fish

One of our company ordered for the Main, the Fish fillet in a herb crust – And it was not what we expected. The coating was basically pepper, which made it too hot to eat and we even found a bone in the fish. When you read a herb crust, you think of fresh green herbs like coriander, parsley, mint etc… – this was a complete disappointment.


tasting menu meats

The tasting main was grandly served on a hot plate that was placed on a stand with candles underneath it, that were meant to keep it warm. The kebab was moist with a peppery crust on the outside. The chicken was extremely hot, the entrecôte steak was cooked well, though no sauce was served with it. The merguez sausages were spicy – like they are meant to be, the spare ribs were maybe a bit under cooked. There were green beans which were again peppery and the roasted potatoes weren’t crunchy.

After a disappointing main we decided to press on with the desserts.


chocolate souflee

The chocolate soufflé was served in 2 little cups with a vanilla ice-cream. The soufflés were not overly sweet, they were runny with a bit of sponge at the bottom. A chocolate crumb was used as a garnish, but I didn’t think it was really needed.


cherry pie

The cherry pie had a thick crust and was very ordinary – I believe my grandmother makes a better pie.

I was severely disappointed by Goshen – I don’t know if it was because there was such a high expectation, after all the reviews that I read. Maybe the issue was I just went to Lumina (soon to have its review written) the previous night. Though I went to Meat and Wine a few nights later and I found that their food was better. Is Goshen just riding on their name and not doing more with their food? Is it that it’s just a meat restaurant? I went to Butchery in Be’er Sheva- also a meat restaurant and I found it better than Goshen.

The other interesting thing to mention is that they never supplied a jug of water, if we finished our glasses we had to get a new glass- I had never seen that before.

I think I’m the first person not to enjoy Goshen. If people have other opinions please write comment below. Maybe we just ordered the wrong dishes.

Ca Phe Hanoi Open Hours: Sun – Thurs 12:30-16:30, 18:00- 00:00 Sat: 19:30 – 00:00 Address: Malchei Israel 3, Tel Aviv Phone: 03-6771184

A fusion between Vietnamese and French?

Ca Phe Hanoi

Open Hours:
Sun – Thurs 12:30-16:30, 18:00- 00:00
Sat: 19:30 – 00:00

Address: Malchei Israel 3, Tel Aviv
Phone: 03-6771184

Ca Phe Hanoi is a French-Vietnamese fusion restaurant located in the heart of Tel Aviv. I had heard many reviews about this restaurant and was intrigued, so when a friend of mine mentioned that she was interested in trying it, I jumped at the chance.

As it is right by City Hall, finding parking was easy, which is no mean feat during Tel Aviv peak hour traffic. We had arranged to meet at 18:00 at the restaurant, so it was still relatively quiet there, affording us the opportunity to look around the restaurant.

As we walked through the doorway, we were immediately struck by the décor –modernist exposed concrete and simple-lined, geometric chairs and tables, combined with the rich colors of south-east Asia: deep red curtains, colorful murals, hanging lanterns, and a towering centrepiece of bamboo skeleton shelves laden with artfully arranged glasses, crockery and Asian grocery products.

The restaurant is housed in an old bank, and its bathrooms are housed in the basement vaults. The bathrooms are a unique experience in themselves – visiting them is a must! Entry is through a reinforced steel doorway, with the heavy metal door and vault locks still standing to one side. Sliding grid doors lead you into the men’s and women’s toilets – whose stalls are made of one-way glass, so that you can look out while other visitors cannot see in- a disconcerting experience indeed.




The friendly waiters were very attentive, seating us immediately and bringing us water, as well as advising us what food to pick when we couldn’t make up our minds. Over the course of the meal, they continually checked up on us to make sure that we were satisfied, and they even patiently taught my eating companion how to use chopsticks (but rest assured, there is western style cutlery available).
The waiters had told us that all the dishes were for sharing, but I will tell you in advance that the portion sizes aren’t large, and there were no utensils given for sharing the food. The deserts, however, are another story, definitely made for sharing, but I will get to them later.

Another important thing to note, is that some of the meat dishes come with sauces that contain fish sauce. The sauce is put on the side of the dish, so that the customer can choose if they want to combine it with their food. In response to our queries on the halachic issue of combining fish and meat, the waiters told us that according to Rabbinical authorities it is ok, due to the minimal amount of fish present in the sauce – however, the final decision is is left to every customer’s discretion.

Because diners are encouraged to share, the savory dishes are usually brought out all together, as a pose to splitting them into appetizers and mains. We had chosen to keep the fish dishes and meat dishes separate, so the waiters suggested that we begin with the fish dishes and continue onto the meat dishes later.

We began our meal with drinks. I had a pineapple, mango and coconut smoothie, which was served in a chilled glass jar and piled with toasted coconut shavings on top. The drink was silky-smooth going down and the flavors were perfectly balanced, without them overpowering one another. I did feel a slight tingling on my tongue but it was nice.



My companion ordered the lychee mojito, a cocktail of white rum, lychees, fresh lime and mint, which came artfully garnished with fresh mint leaves, orchid flowers and lychees. The drink was refreshing and had a strong lychee taste with spiky undertones. The mint leaves provided a good balance to the flavor. The lychees on top were from a can and not fresh, which was disappointing for a chef restaurant, considering that they were in season.


steamed fish in banana leaf

The food came out pretty quickly. Our first dish was the Steamed fish in banana leaf (68nis), with drum fish, black rice, herbs, light soy-sauce and garlic. The fish came beautifully wrapped in a neat banana leaf parcel tied with string, inside a bamboo steamer. I had never eaten anything steamed in a banana leaf before, and I had been very excited to try this dish. The fish itself was firm but didn’t contain a lot of flavor. The black rice on the other hand, was full of flavor from the sautéed garlic and onions, with a slight smoky under taste. The herb that stood out was the dill (was this the French fusion?). There was meant to be some soy sauce but I couldn’t taste it All in all, this dish was tasty, but a bit of an anti-climax.


yellow tail fish

The next dish was one of their specials- Yellow tail fish served with steamed white cabbage, carrots and beans. This dish had more flavor than the first dish. The fish was tender and had a slight sweetness to it. It also had a spicy flair, created by the black pepper. The flavorful sauce of chili, garlic, ginger and coriander really tied the dish together. It was amazing that all of the vegetables were perfectly done, and not overcooked. I found that there was too much pepper on everything, but my companion was fine with it, so it could just be a matter of personal taste. I could taste the bamboo that the food was steamed in, which was unusual. Bamboo steamers are usually lined with grease-proof paper so that the food doesn’t absorb other flavors – unless that was the intention.


vietnamese beef tartane

Then it was time for the meat dishes. The first of our meat dishes was Vietnamese Beef Tartare (48nis), with beans, cucumber, grapefruit, lemongrass, coconut, chili and an egg yolk on top. The beef was cut into just the right size pieces and was soft with a bit of a kick to it. The cucumber took down the spiciness and added crunch, while the lemon grass added additional freshness and depth. I was unsure as to why grapefruit was added to the dish, as the flavor was completely lost among the other flavors. Overall I did enjoy this dish.


xinjiang skewers

Our last main course dish was Xinjiang Skewers (64nis) – two chicken pullet skewers flavoured with lamb fat and spices, and rolled up in a Vietnamese rice pancake. The pancake was made with rice flour and had spring onions folded into the mixture. The chicken was moist and spicy with flavors from India. The taste of lamb was added by the lamb fat. The skewers came served with whole roasted green onion – which was technically difficult to eat due to its fibrousness- and a pleasant bean shoot salad. My one reservation with the dish was that there was nothing to cool down its overall heat.

The desserts were another story- they were fantastic!


caramel chocolate

At the waiter’s recommendation, we had the Cremo Chocolate (41nis), a chocolate brulee with pralines, salty-sweet chocolate crumble and spiced Indian halva threads. The chocolate brulee was creamy yet very light in texture, and the salty chocolate crumble toned down the sweetness, and we loved the flossed indian halva that complemented the desert so well.


lemon grass pannacota

We also had the Lemongrass panacotta (38nis), served with tropical fruits, lemongrass syrup, mint and longan. The panacotta was delicate in flavor and wonderfully refreshing. The kiwi fruit and mango brought out the flavor and the rosewater was subtle and not overpowering.

Our third desert was the Banana Loti (40nis), an amazing concoction consisting of bananas in rum, coconut caramel and almond milk cream, sandwiched between two layers of crispy puff pastry. We truly couldn’t believe that it was non-dairy because it was so creamy.


banana lotti

The flavors just sung together and the textures in the dish were great. The pastry added some crunch, the caramelized banana was just sweet enough and the almond cream was smooth and delicious.

Overall, what I liked the most about this restaurant was the ambience and the desserts, which alone are worth the trip. You could even do a progressive meal, where you could have a main course in a meat restaurant elsewhere and then come here for dessert.

website: http://caphehanoitlv.com/ – The English menu doesn’t list the drinks or desserts, but the Hebrew version does.

The Whiskey Bar & Museum (Hashgacha Pratit) David Elazar 27, Sarona, Tel Aviv (it is near Sarona Market) Phone: 03-9551105 Opening Hours: Sun – Thurs 17:00- last customer Sat: 1 hr after shabbat ends – last customer

The Whiskey Bar & Museum (Hashgacha Pratit)

David Elazar 27, Sarona, Tel Aviv (it is near Sarona Market)
Phone: 03-9551105
Opening Hours: Sun – Thurs 17:00- last customer
Sat: 1 hr after shabbat ends – last customer
Type: Meat
Price Range: 29nis – Soups
49-58- Blintzes

The Whiskey Bar & Museum is a bar nestled in the cavernous basement of an old Templar building in the charming renovated Sarona compound – formerly a German Templar colony – in the heart of the hustle and bustle of Tel Aviv.

The building that houses the Whiskey Bar & Museum originally served as winery in the 19th century, until it was taken over by the Mossad, before becoming a food and alcohol mecca.

The complex proudly claims the title of the ‘first whiskey bar museum in Israel’, and according to its website, is one of the largest whiskey museums in the world, with over 1002 varieties of whiskey from around the world.

To enter the Whisky Bar you go down some narrow stairs that lead down to the old Templar tunnels. The decor is beautiful with rough walls on one side and bottles of whiskeys in varying shades of gold lining the other side of the wall. There are more whiskeys than one can count.

The tables are spread comfortably apart, so that customers don’t have to sample their whiskeys sitting on top of each other. Lining the walls are couches with tables for people to drink, eat and relax, along with regular chairs and tables and bar stools. The chairs are cushioned and comfortable. There is also an overlooking mezzanine with more tables.

The bathroom has an ultra trendy feel and the monogrammed hand towels are a nice touch. The same tiles that are on the bar are used in black on the bathroom floor and the stalls are clean.

The staff’s knowledge of pairing whiskeys with the food was really good. We had to keep asking for more water and the music was loud in the beginning, but it was turned down when we told them it was a bit too loud.

For entree, I ordered the Smoked Sirloin (48 nis) which came on a wooden board in thin slices with onions and beet cream. The sirloin was medium cooked and had a subtle smokey flavor and was a tiny bit chewy. There was a slight sweetness to the dish which was brought by the the silky smooth beetroot puree and grilled onion.

Some of my eating companions ordered the Beef Fillet Carpaccio (52 nis), served with whiskey aioli, roasted pistachio, sherry tomatoes with balsamic vinegar seasoning. It was sliced very thin, but the meat still had texture and was very tender. It was a tiny bit oily, but the balsamic vinegar balanced out the flavor.

Another companion ordered the Mushroom Mix (48 nis), listed as ‘Portobello and Oyster mushrooms stir-fried with garlic, olive oil, parsley, basil and chili’. The sizzling dish came with three varieties of mushrooms cut into different sizes, cooked to perfection and not at all slimy. The artichoke and garlic added some crunch and even though there was a little oil on the base of the pan, nothing was oily. The finely chopped parsley sprinkled on top provided freshness to the dish.

The mains took a bit of time to come out, but it was worth the wait for the charcoal-grilled dry-age- ribeye (147 nis), which was accompanied by charred potatoes, asparagus and green herb aioli. The steak was seasoned well, had a crunchy crust and it was juicy in the inside. The meat juices pooled into crevices of the pan, into which we could then dip slices of meat. The accompanying aioli was very tasty, though because the steak was so divine, I didn’t need to use much of the aoili. There was one asparagus spear served on top of the steak – I was unsure why it was there. The asparagus was very crunchy and the base of it wasn’t prepared well as it was very fibrous, but the top part of the spear was good. The charred potato was served on the side and when you cut it, inside was a green surprise of pesto!

Dessert time came and we ordered four of them!

I ordered the Tropical Dessert (48 nis), a ‘Coconut panna cotta served with mango coulis, coconut coulis, tonka streusel, crispy mango chunks, pineapple salad, mint and passion fruit sorbet’. It had two very light, very wobbly coconut panna cotta that, nevertheless, held its form. The panna cotta was topped with pineapple shards that added some tartness. The passion-fruit ice-cream wasn’t too icy, and was a bit tart. It added coolness to the dish. The streusel had a deep rich flavor, was nice and crunchy and added sweetness to the dish. The pineapple ‘salad’ turned out to be a type of sponge was soft and airy. The mango chunks creamy and smooth. I wasn’t sure if the garnishing flower was edible, so I decided not to risk it. This was a delightfully light dessert and one that I would come back for.

My companion had the Semifredo Brulee (42 nis). The frozen creme brulee was creamy and crunchy, served with a crumble, coconut ice-cream and berry coulis. It was a dessert that my companion said she would eat again- I didn’t taste it, as I was too involved in my dessert

My third companion had the Halva panna cotta (44 nis). The ice-cream on top of the desert was smooth. It also came with crispy nest of kadaif, which was okay, but tasted rather like shredded wheat cereal. The panna cotta underneath was very rich. It was a pity that it was covered with all the other components so you couldn’t really see the panna cotta and enjoy it. My companion didn’t think that she would order this dish again.

The fourth desert we ordered was the Smoked (42 nis) – a chocolate mousse desert with added fudge brownies, and an accompanying dropper of smokey whisky which added a depth of flavor. The mousse was rich with dark chocolate and it wasn’t overly sweet. There were good balance of flavors. The reviews at our table for this desert were mixed – one companion said that she would order it again, but it was not everybody’s cup of tea.

Some of my eating companions tried the whiskeys and enjoyed the types that they received in the different courses.

The Whiskey bar and museum is a place I would definitely recommend. It has a cool vibe and even if you’re not a meat eater, the amount of whiskeys and the desserts are really worth it!

One side note- you really need to book a table – as they get really busy.
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Report this adThis entry was posted in Meat, Tel Aviv and tagged kosher, kosher meat, Kosher Meat Restaurant, tel aviv, Tel Aviv kosher, tel aviv kosher meat restaurant, tel aviv museum, Tel aviv whiskey bar, Whiskey Bar on January 18, 2018.