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A note of apology to my readers: It has, alas, been more than
six months since I have visited Eilat and during that time several restaurants
said to be exciting have opened. I will be visiting the city in February and at
that time this page wil be considerably updated.
Last Updated: 18 March, 2002
| Restaurant |
Rating |
Type |
Prices |
| Au Bistro: Rehov Elot 3, Eilat. Tel. 07 |
** |
French |
Moderate-Expensive |
| The dark blue velvet on the walls, linen tablecloths and attractive
table settings make this intimate French restaurant attractive to the eye and,
although the dishes offered here are rarely daring, they are frequently appealing.
The fact that Among best bets are the goose liver with a sauce based on Cassis,
the grilled shrimps and the seafood bisque. The main courses show a light, modern
touch and two of my favorites here are the veal in red wine sauce and the beef
fillet Romayer. |
Brasserie:
in the King Solomon Hotel, Eilat. Tel. 07 6363444 |
* |
French-International |
Moderate - Expensive |
| Attractive and comfortable, and calling to mind the ambiance of
a French brasserie, this is a comfortable place at which to dine. The wine list
and the service are surprisingly good and by far the best bet for fine dining
are the American style prime-ribs which are cut to your request from the carving
trolley. Other acceptable dishes are the medallions of goose liver in a sauce
based on Calvados; the veal sweetbreads a la Reine; and the duckling bigarrade
(in strawberry vinegar). |
Denise Kingdom:
At the Fish Hatchery, Lagoon Area, Eilat. Tel: (07) 637-9898 |
* |
Fish |
Reasonable to Moderate |
| A fixed price fish restaurant with a great gimmick, for this is
the fish farm where they raise Denise and Sea Bass, so you are guaranteed that
the fish you are eating came out of the water literally minutes before they were
prepared for you. The opening salads (cabbage, sweet and hot peppers, tchina,
eggplant, etc) are standard but acceptable, the fish are cooked to perfection
(my own favorites are first deep-fried and then finished on the grill), and the
mahlabi served for dessert is great fun. Commercial but pleasant, with excellent
service. Before or after your meal you can also opt for a tour of the fish hatchery
which makes this an especially appealing place to visit with children. Open Sunday
- Thursday 12:00 - 23:00, on Fridays until about 18:00 and on Saturday from after
Shabbat. Reasonable to Moderate. Kosher. |
La Coquille:
Durban 10, on the North Beach, Eilat. Tel 07 6373461. |
** |
French |
Expensive |
| More or less traditional French cuisine with generous hints of
Provence and the Cote d'Azur and just the right occasional hint of innovation
is the keyword at this pleasant, attractive and welcoming restaurant. Among the
first courses I have most enjoyed are the stuffed crabs and the octopus in a garlicky
olive oil. Main courses that have pleased are the grilled fish with a variety
of sauces (try the tartare sauce which is especially good), the calamari Provencale
and the coquilles St Jacque in a curry flavored cream sauce. Open daily 12:00
- 15:00 and 18:00 - 24:00. |
| The Last Refuge, On the Coral Beach, Eilat. Tel. 07 372437. |
* |
Fish and Seafood |
Moderate |
| Situated on a quiet inlet to the Coral Beach, the view of the
water, the fishing and diving boats and the cool breeze make this a pleasant place
to sit. The weathered wood, fishing nets, lanterns and anchor chains that make
up the decor may be a bit kitchy but they added nicely to the atmosphere and encourage
one's appetite. As first courses consider the coquille of seafood in which shrimps,
calamari and forest mushrooms are served in a large seashell with a pleasant cream
sauce or the mussels in garlic. The fish soup also makes a fine starter. As main
courses focus on either the grilled or fried fish, ideally without any sauce except
lemon. |
| Pago-Pago, On the northern bank of the Lagoon, Eilat. Tel. 07 376660. |
* |
Fish and Seafood |
Moderate |
| Situated on a large barge docked in the lagoon, this fish and
seafood restaurant has been part of the Eilat scene since 1986. The spicy Thai
style shrimp soup makes a good starter, as do the calamari that is done in the
Greek way by coating it with a light batter and then deep frying it. Also worth
considering are the shrimp which are split down the middle, seasoned generously
with garlic and sprinkled over with olive oil before being grilled. The various
fish available are done simply but well. |
| Tandoori: On the King's Wharf, behind the Laguna Hotel, Eilat. Tel. 07
333879. |
** |
Indian |
Moderate |
| The Madras fabrics, flowers and handsomely set tables make this
Indian restaurant, the Eilat branch of the Tandoori chain, extremely pleasing
to the eye. The service and the quality of the food are all high. For descriptions
of some of the dishes offered see the review of Tandoori in Tel Aviv. |
| Tricolor: in the Meridien Hotel, Eilat. Tel 07 6383333. |
*** |
Fusion Cuisine, Fish |
Moderate - High |
| When Tsachi Buchester opened "The Pink Ladle" in Tel Aviv nearly
fifteen years ago, some considered him a remarkably talented chef and others thought
that he had more chutzpah than most chefs should be entitled to. Whatever, the
creative and often unique Buchester was one of the leaders of the local culinary
revolution and many, including this critic went into a period of mourning when
The Pink Ladle closed several years ago. The good news is that Buchester is now
supervising all that happens at Tricolor in Eilat and much of what is happening
in this fun to eat place is absolutely delicious. Among the dishes I have most
enjoyed are the often inventive sushi, cheese raviolis with dried fruits, an exquisite
tartare of tuna with creme fraiche, a lovely potato and spinach soup, and a cream
of celery soup with walnuts, the fish bisque and the other-worldly fish couscous.
Open Sunday - Thursday 19:00 - 23:00 and on Saturday 20:00 - 23:00. Kosher. |
| Wong's: In the Royal Beach Hotel, Eilat. Te.. 07 368888. |
** |
Chinese/Pacific Rim |
Moderate - High |
| Modeled after New York City's extraordinarily popular "China Grill",
this decor here pleases by its neat, clean lines and lack of clutter. The cooking
style is what Americans think of as "Pacific Rim cookery", a kind of fusion cuisine
that relies equally on the ingredients of the Red Sea and North America and the
cooking methods of the Far East. The best dishes I have tried here are the chicken
salad with fried rice noodles, lamb pockets with wild mushrooms, beef ribs with
barbecue sauce, roast duck in a post-modernistic Peking style, and the fried rice
with crisp duck pieces. The fruit sorbets are very good but the other desserts
are not at all special. Kosher |
© Daniel Rogov
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