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Last Updated: 5 October, 2003
| Restaurant |
Rating |
Type |
Prices |
Aluma:
Cvish Tarsicha, Cfar Vradim. Tel 04: 9574477 |
To be re-evalued |
French Provencal |
Moderate |
| Located not far from Ma'a lot, on the border between
the Arabic village of Kfar Tarshicha and Kfar Vradim, with a decor
that intelligently combines touches from Arabic, Mediterranean and
French Provencal cultures, with white plastered walls, country-style
wood furnishings, and an appealing view of the nearby hills, the
decor is comfortable and appealing. My last meal here was about
three months ago, and I was delighted. Unfortunately, since then
there have been two changes in chefs and the restaurant is now in
a state of flux. I will return and re-evaluate the restaurant in
the near future. |
|
Auberge Shulamit:
Rehov David Shuv, Rosh Pina. Tel. 04 6931485.
|
** |
French-Country |
Moderate - High |
| Set in a lovely building in old Rosh Pina, this charming
place goes from strength to strength. A warm greeting, an abundance
of plants and freshly cut flowers, the well-polished heavy wood
tables and a variety of wine racks give the first clues that here
one has wandered upon the most sophisticated culinary aspects of
country-living. Start off with the goose liver prepared in the Hungarian
style, the vine leaves filled with a mixture of lamb, onions, rice
and pine nuts, The excellent meatballs made in a rose colored sauce
or the shrimps in a creamy Roquefort cheese dressing. Then, because
they smoke their own meats here, go on to either the smoked goose
breast (my own favorite), trout or sausages that are served with
country-style Dijon mustard with excellent sauerkraut that is made
in the German style with juniper berries and caraway. Equally good
bets are the chicken livers in a thick orange sauce, trout fillets
in white butter sauce, the chicken wings in a sauce of soya, brandy
and sugar; and the grilled lamb chops. Desserts are good - try specially
the apple tarte Tatin, possibly the best you will find in the country
and the candied chestnuts. The wine list is excellent, the service
is remarkably pleasant and overall this is a place that cannot help
but please. If an overnight outing is in the cards, consider the
attractive guest rooms here. Open daily from 12:30 - 23:00. Evening
reservations suggested. |
| Barcarola: Atir Yeda St, Industrial Area of Cfar Saba. (09)
766-9696. |
*** |
Bar-Restaurant |
Moderate - Expensive |
| Chef Itay Shalev who formerly delighted u at Provence
ba Galil and Shalev Ba Ya'ar in the northern parts of the country
has is now doing an excellent job of pleasing diners in this spacious,
laid-back atmosphere. Among the best first courses are several shrimp
offerings - one of a tomato gazpacho served in a martini glass with
a bit of labane on the bottom of the glass, two lightly spicy Asian
shrimps floated in the center and with a dash of yoghurt added for
color and flavor contrast, and another of shrimp coated with felafel
mix served with a light and lemony za'atar flavored aioli sauce,
and yet another in which warm shrimps are served with a tomato and
smoked mango salad, the mango adding a much welcomed sweet touch.
The combination in the dishes of French, Spanish, Far Eastern and
Mediterranean culinary influences cannot help but remind us that
Shalev is a chef who enjoys seeking out the precise limit of what
we will find enjoyable and what will push us away. In each of these
cases the dishes were as much an attraction for the eye as for the
palate.
Another good bet as a first course is the chicken liver that
is wrapped in Swiss chard with the terrine hollowed out and filled
with shallots and apple chutney. If goose liver is you passion
don't miss the version in which the liver is treated to a vanilla
flavored wine sauce. Set on a summer salad with just a hint of
balsamic vinegar and served with a small poached pear, the dish
is brilliant. Main courses well worth considering are the pork
fillet with tamarindi sauce and the mullard breast that is served
with a tomato flavored sauce of butter and concentrated stock.
Desserts are worth exploring. Moderate to expensive. Worth a special
trip. Sun - Thurs 12:00 - 16:00 and 20:00 - 01:30; and Fri and
Sat 20:00 - 01:30.
|
Bat Ha'eycar (The Farmer's Daughter) HaRishonim 21, Metula.
Tel (04) 6997177
|
** |
French-Mediterranean Country |
Moderate |
| Set in the late 19th century country home that was
once the home of the grandparents of the present owners and with
stone walls and a once fortified courtyard that was meant to ward
off marauders, this visual treat is as much a slice of local history
as it is a restaurant. Best of the opening courses are the grilled
eggplant with cheese and cream sauce, and fresh mushrooms with honey
and soya sauce. As main courses consider the chicken served with
grilled sweet peppers and a rich, just sweet enough brown sauce
made special by being enriched with fresh dates and the succulent
mullard breast that is smoked over cherry wood. Country style in
every way and, because the Upper Galilee seems to inspire a passion
for ice cream, close your meal out with the pleasant date ice cream
parfait. As in others of the places in the Upper Galilee, this is
also a good choice for visiting with children (especially for lunch
or an early dinner) who can enjoy themselves by making as much noise
as they like as they explore the spacious courtyard and not by disturbing
other diners. Open daily 10:00 - 24:00. |
Beit Rona
Moshav Kerem Ben Zimra. (053) 805349
|
** |
|
|
| Not so much a retaurant as it is a country-style culinary
escape. Located on the closed terrace of a private home, the dining
area of this rural escape offers a panoramic view that takes in
wadis, low hills and mountains and a setting so rural that wild
goats and boars sometimes make it a regular place of call. Amidst
this simple but enchanting countrified splendor, it is perfectly
acceptable that the tables, chairs and décor are without
pretense. In fact, the very simplicity of the place adds enormously
to its charm.
What will be served on any given day is determined by which herbs
the garden yields that morning, what cuts of meat most appealed
during the cook's visit to the neighboring markets, and the mood
of the season. A good chance that your meal will open with individual
plates that include meatballs in which lamb, veal and leeks had
been finely chopped before being assembled and deep fried; crisp
crostini with an excellent black olive tapenade; and slices of
goose breast that had been wrapped around plums and cooked in
a Muscadel sauce. Also good sweet pepper tartlets in cream sauce
and a fresh salad of coriander and pine nuts and do not skip the
chicken consommé if it is offered on the day of your visit.
As main courses you will not go at all wrong with the lamb osso
buco with root vegetables or the sirloin of veal. Desserts are
simple but delicious. As in many small country inns and restaurants,
the first courses and soup that make their way to the table are
determined entirely by the chef. Only when it comes to the main
courses is there a choice from two or three offerings. Prices
are moderate. Open daily but advance reservations are required.
Tel 053 805349.
|
Black Steer:
At the Rosh Pina Intersection, Rosh Pina. Tel. 04 6938366 |
** |
Meat (South American) |
Moderate |
| Like its twin in Herzliya, this is an unabashedly
mass-market restaurant, with no pretensions at culinary greatness
but with what seems to be the honest desire to provide South-African
style, mostly meat dishes at reasonable prices. The greeting you
will get on entering is genuinely warm and the service, while not
overly professional, is friendly and responsive. Best of all, most
of the dishes I sampled were great fun to eat. The genuine South
African Boere Wors sausage is fatty, coarse, vulgar and absolutely
delicious; the buffalo wings (spiced chicken wings) are not at all
South African but they are great fun, especially when eaten with
the fingers; and the steaks, coated with house barbecue sauce before
being grilled are juicy and full of flavor. The fried onion rings
are definitely worth trying as a side dish. Open Sunday - Thursday
from 12:00 - 23:00 and on Fridays and Saturdays from 12:00 - 24:00. |
Chavat Bat Ya'ar:
Mitspe Amuka. Tel. 04 6921788 |
** |
Steaks and Meat |
Moderate |
| This charming ranch, exquisitely situated in the hills
overlooking the Galilee, features horseback riding and jeep trips.
The ranch also has an excellent steak house. The rustic, almost
all wood building that houses the restaurant fits in perfectly with
its mountain environment. The wood tables and benches, an antique
pot-bellied stove, large windows with a view that takes in the entire
Galilee and the Golan Heights, and a host of brass and copper lamps
and bricabrac all give the nice feeling that there will be nothing
pretentious in the cooking here. There are light offerings on the
menu but it becomes immediately clear that this is primarily a place
for men and women who admire good steaks. The steaks are American
cut, that is to say, there are T-Bones, sirloins and rib steaks
and these can be ordered in sizes from anywhere from 225 grams to
750 grams. Excellent beef, charred on the outside and cooked just
to the degree desired, and served with large baked potatoes, these
can be an ideal meal for a day in the country. One hint - when you
drive up and see one or more busloads of tourists, drive on, for
when the busses arrive the level of the service falls proportionately.
Open daily from 11:00 - 23:00 or later. |
Dag-Dagan:
On kibbutz Cheftzibah. Tel. 04 6534359 |
* |
Fish |
Reasonable |
| The place that gave simplicity its meaning, this may
be one of the noisiest, most unsophisticated and most aesthetically
unattractive restaurants in the country. Despite this, this is a
must place to dine when in the Upper Galillee because because the
trout, pink trout and salmon, all of which are raised on the kibbutz
that owns the restaurant, are superb. Grilled, with nothing more
than a dash of fresh lemon; smoked and served hot or cold they are
exquisite; and served "au bleu", sprinkled with vinegar and then
rapidly boiled in a highly seasoned concentrated soup stock and
served with melted butter or Hollandaise sauce. I also discovered
a way to avoid the restaurant itself - all one need to is have their
fish served on a tray, wander outdoors and find the nearest quiet
spot under the trees or on the bank of the river, there to have
the picnic par excellence. Bring your own wine for your picnic.
Open daily from 08:00 - about 18:00. |
Diana:
Rehov Paul VI, Nazereth. Tel 04 6572919. |
** |
Middle-Eastern |
Reasonable - Moderate |
| Pleasant simplicity is the keyword here but the service
is always friendly and the food always fresh and tasty. Stay largely
with traditional dishes. For starters, the tabbouleh, fatouche (bread
salad), humous and other salads are good bets and for main courses
consider the kebabs, shishliks, lamb chops and shrimps in garlic-butter
sauce. Open daily 12:00 - 24: |
El Zeituna. Barclay's
Bank 38 (Near the old Shuk), Nazereth: Tel. 04 6455729. |
** |
Palestinian Cuisine |
Moderate |
| Set on the second floor of a beautifully restored
old residential building, this charming establishment combines tradition
and elegance with a genuinely warm greeting and good service. All
of the mezes (first courses) are good but the tabbouleh and the
baked eggplant in tchnia are especially rewarding. Go on to baked
herbed chicken, any of the lamb dishes or the herbed shrimps. For
dessert the mahlabi is de rigueur. Open Monday - Saturday 13:00
- 23:00. |
Elbabor:
on the Wadi Ara Road at the Ein Ibrahim Junction. Tel. 04 6572919. |
*** |
Middle-Eastern |
Reasonable |
| With its menu laded with dishes most of which originated
in Syria and Lebanon, its thick stone walls, arabesque arches, colorfully
painted framed quotations from the Koran, an abundance of copper
and bronze bric-a-brac, and an artificial waterfall taking up one
interior wall, this is a restaurant that could exist just as comfortably
in Damascus, Aleppo or Amman. Meals here start automatically when
a meze of twenty or more dishes is presented. Among the best of
the these were smoky eggplant and onion; parsley rich tchina; chunks
of eggplant that had been fried and then spooned over with tchina;
cauliflower that had been finished in the oven with tchina; a tabbouleh
salad made special by the addition of more than the usual amount
of hot pepper; and remarkably thick and just sour enough country-style
labane. Equally good were thick, crisp burghul coated kubbeh filled
with beef and pine nuts; a generous portion of excellent humous;
and three kinds of burreks, pastries filled in one case with potatoes,
in another with beef and in yet another with vegetables. Forget
Cola, Kinley and any of the other carbonated soft drinks that are
offered here and treat yourself to as many pitchers as you like
of the icy-cold, refreshing and delicious lemonade that are available.
For main courses (if you still have "room") continue with the roast
mutton, the siniyah of baked ground meat and tchina, the grilled
chicken livers or the kebabs, all of which will please. Keep in
mind that portions here are large enough to be shared by two. Open
daily 09:00 - 24:00. |
HaKdira Shel Noga (Noga's Casserole)
Moshav Beit Sha'arim (On the Haifa-Nazereth Road) Tel: 04 983-0730.
|
**/*** |
French Country Style |
Moderate - High |
| In an absolutely charming and completely countrified
setting that might have come out of Nikolai Gogol's description
of an 18th century Russian inn, this is a place that offers country
style cuisine without a single note of falsity. Ideal for either
nobility or peasants, a place with immeasurable charm and food that
is always a joy to eat. As first courses consider the black raviolis
filled with Roquefort cheese and nuts in a well made cream and garlic
sauce; the chunky French country style pate wrapped in bacon; the
crepes filled with crabmeat and leeks; the zucchini flowers willed
with herbed chopped meat that are served in a gentle but flavor-filled
tomato sauce; and even the thin slices of steak that are wrapped
and rolled about green onions and served with a cream, mustard and
pistachio sauce, all of which are excellent.
Take a break to stroll in the gardens and fields and then continue
with quail filled with chopped goose breast and liver in a cider
and mustard sauce (a dish that describes the sensation of food
that "melts in the mouth"); the country-style spare
ribs; or the sea bream served on root vegetables, all accompanied
by pumpkin gnocchi and a well made chili and coconut sauce. As
I often do (no apologies), I suggest skipping the dish based on
ostrich fillet. Best bets for desserts are the creme brulee and
the three layered parfait of halvah and white and brown chocolate.
Unbeatable prices during the weekday lunch hour (12:00 - 16:00)
but still surprisingly moderate prices in the evenings. Worth
a special trip. Open daily 12:00 - 24:00.
|
Ha Neshika
Rehov HaMeyasdim 37, Zichron Ya'akov (04) 6390133
|
*** |
French Provencal |
Moderate - Expensive |
| Situated off the main street of Zichron Ya'akov "HaNeshika"
("The Kiss") is a restaurant so true to its countrified
roots that no attempt at all has been made to hide that it occupies
what was not all that long ago a farmhouse. Most pleasing of all
is that chef Ronen Raviv shows not a single sign of becoming complacent
and continues to present a dishes that manage very nicely indeed
to combine the sophistication of haute cuisine with a generous hint
of 18th century French country cooking.
Among my own favorite first courses are the thick country style
sausages and a generous slice of country style pate, all just
fatty and peppery enough, the sausages fried so that they were
crisp on the exterior and deliciously soft on the interior and
the intentionally chunky, almost coarse pate absolutely bursting
with flavor. Equally tempting are grilled coquilles Saint-Jacques
cooked under the grill and treated to a gentle mustard and ginger
sauce, and the potato gnocchi enriched with mozzarella cheese
and served with piquant mushrooms all on a bed of crisply cooked
green beans. Nor should one ignore the shrimps in herbed coconut
milk or the veal carpaccio on a bed of burghul. As main courses,
the pork stew of shoulder and breast of pork is unbeatable and
the saddle of lamb on a bed of Jerusalem artichokes and lentils
runs a close second in excellence. Dessert pastries (strawberry
tarte flavored with cardamon, a tarte in the Tatin style but with
half apples and half pears and the citrus tart) are excellent.
A small but good wine list but no don't hesitate to bring your
own fine bottle with you. Service is casual but excellent and
prices, which range from moderate to expensive represent very
good value for money. Worth a special trip! Open Mon - Sat 12:30
- 14:30 and 19:00 - 23:00.
|
The Herb Farm on Gilboa.
HaGilboa. Tel. 04 6531093. |
*** |
Country Style |
Moderate |
| Simple but pleasant country style cuisine in a lovely
wood building (if the weather is good be sure to take a table on
one of the large terraces in order to enjoy the exquisite view of
Mount Gilboa and the surrounding countryside). Among best bets are
the pumpkin soup with apples and sour cream, green salad with fresh
herbs and a very well made vinaigrette sauce, lamb ossobuco served
with couscous and the somewhat American, somewhat French style apple
pie. Open Monday - Saturday 13:00 - 23:00. |
In Rafi's House:
in Beit Professor Mor, Atar ha Shachzor, old Rosh Pina. Tel 04 6936192. |
** |
Argentinian |
Moderate |
| Set off a cobblestone path in restored Rosh Pina,
surrounded by trees and lying comfortably in the shadow of the low
mountains that rise behind this 19th century village, there is nothing
fancy or pretentious about "Ba Bayt Shel Rafa" but thick walls,
Arabesque arches and the lovely view give this charming place a
quiet and intimate touch. Excellent starters are the beef filled
empenadas and the cheese-crusted cannelonis filled with chopped
spinach and sweetbreads. As a main course don't miss the sinfully
good assado style veal cassoulet that contains plenty of meat (including
excellent chorizo sausages), white potatoes, sweet potatoes and
peas. Another good bet is the lamb casserole with celery, lemon
and rosemary. Open daily 12:30 - 23:30. |
Jacko:
Rehov haDekalim 12, Haifa. Tel. 04 8626639 |
** |
Fish and Seafood |
Reasonable - Moderate |
| This super-simple eatery has been charming clients
in Haifa for about 15 years. Stay with the simple things of life
here. The baby fried squid, the large grilled shrimps in their shells,
the deep fried red mullets, and any of the grilled or fried fish
can make for a lovely meal, especially when accompanied by cold
beer. Open Sunday - Thursday 12:00 - 23:00, Fridays and Saturdays
12:00- 18:00. |
Jascala:
In the Village of Jish-Gush Chalav, Upper Galilee. Tel. 04 6987762 |
*/** |
Middle-Eastern |
Reasonable |
| This is the kind of simple village restaurant at which
you can feast on the kinds of dishes that gave Middle-Eastern dining
its good name. As is traditional, a few moments after being seated
your table will be laded with a variety of dishes to make up your
meze or starting courses. Among the best offerings - the fattouche
salad in which pieces of crisply toasted pita bread that are soaked
in lemon juice are tossed together with coarsely chopped cucumber,
tomatoes, onion, parsley, coriander and mint; the thick, fresh humous;
the goats' milk labane; and the endives cooked in olive oil and
served with pine nuts and lemon. All of this is merely a prelude,
so continue with small squash that are steamed and were then served
with a simple but rich white sauce; rice filled grape leaves, served
in the style that some say is Greek, others claim for Turkey and
yet others for Lebanon, in a lemon rich chicken stock; and the tabbouleh
salad so appealing to the eye that it seems a shame to spoil its
charm by eating it. If you still have the heart for main courses,
best bet are the shishbarak , a dish made by filling balls of lamb
with a mixture of mushrooms and onions; the sambusc (fried pastry
shells filled with vegetables); meat-filled, deep fried Syrian style
kubbeh. Beer is a good choice as a beverage. When traveling through
the Galilee, this is a place not to be missed. Open Monday - Saturday
from 08:30 - 23:00 and on Sundays from 17:00. |
Ma'ayan haBiera:
Rehov Natanson 4, Haifa. Tel. 04 8623193. Central |
*** |
European |
Moderate |
| Located in the same building since 1962, this is a
place whose walls probably saw their last coat of fresh paint about
a decade ago, whose tables and chairs are so shaky one wonders how
they continue to stand, and where Informality reigns supreme. Diners
take places at whatever table happens to have an empty place, none
of the staff members ever seem to be standing still and loud voices
are the rule and not the exception as people call out their requests
to whichever waiter who chances to be nearby. All of the dishes
here are country-style, having their roots in places as diverse
in character as the Mediterranean Basin, Russia, the shtetls of
Eastern Europe and the Maghreb. Every dish is served in a remarkably
generous portion and, to my great pleasure, every dish I have ever
eaten here was excellent. The eggplant salad is made special by
the addition of an ample amount of garlic and what I think is a
hint of tumeric; the ikra (some call it taramasalata) has plenty
of lemon and is not the least bit oversalted; and the Jewish style
chopped liver had so much goose fat in it that it made me sigh with
pleasure. For main meat dishes try the pastrami and the beef ribs,
both of which are as good as you will fine anywhere in the world,
and, if they are available on the day of your visit, the rabbit
or the grilled suckling pig. As a side dish, do not miss verenekis,
traditional dumplings from the Jewish kitchen, that come in two
versions, some filled with meat and some with potatoes and both
of which are served with plenty of fried onions that are cooked
in goose fat. Open daily 10:00 - about 17:00. |
Missedit haKevas:
On the main street of Dahliat alKarmel. Tel 04 8393510. |
** |
Druse/Middle-Eastern |
Reasonable - Moderate |
| A genuinely warm welcome awaits in this not-at-all
pretentious but comfortable eatery where dishes based on lamb and
mutton are the specialty. Start off with the rice filled vine leaves,
tabbouleh and other salads and continue with the lamb kebabs, mutton
stew, leg of lamb with rosemary, and herbed grilled mutton chops.
Open daily 10:00 - 22:00. |
Nechalim:
Gan HaTzafon Shopping Center, Hurshat Tal Road, Kiryat Shmona. Tel
04 6904875.
|
**/*** |
French Country Style |
Moderate |
| A pleasant and rewarding dining surprise tucked away
in a commercial shopping center. Start with the very good antipasto
platter of which the best offerings are eggplant rolladas with goats
chese, leeks cooked in red wine, mushrooms in vinegar, lightly marinated
red and green peppers and slivers of sweet potato fried in herbed
oil. For more formal first courses, you won't go wrong with the
mussels in a butter, onion and white wine sauce, the cold calamari
in a ginger, soya and garlic sauce or the fried goose liver in a
red wine sauce. Among most tempting main courses are the entrecote
in either pepper or red wine sauce, the veal sirloin in a sage butter
sauce, the four-cheese lasagna. Prices are surprisingly reasonable
and the service is good. Dine in the formal dining room if you will
or when weather permits on the absolutely charming broad grass lawn
that leads to the HaTsbani river below. Open Sunday - Friday 12:00
- 17:00 and 18:00 - 23:00 and on Saturday from 12:00 - 23:00. |
| Ocean: Rehov Maskit 30, Herzliya Pituach. Tel (09) 524-1219 |
** |
Seafood |
Moderate |
| Uncluttered, attractive and semi-formal, offering
seafood dishes that will bankrupt no-one. Open with the blue crab
soup with a succulent whole crab or the tartare of red tuna in a
piquant lemon and oil sauce, all tossed with small cubes of mango
or the coquilles St. Jacques sautéed in brown butter. As
main courses consider the shrimps cooked with tequila and Tabasco
or the seafood paella which comes with a generous portion of shrimps,
clams, mussels, calamari and crab meat. For dessert consider the
semi-fredo of nougat or the crème brulee. A simple but appropriate
wine list and good service add to the charm of the places. Prices
are moderate. |
|
Octagon:
Nahalal (on the road from Kiryat Tivon-Beit Lechem ha Galilit).
Tel (04) 6415333.
|
** |
Steak House/Cafe |
Moderate |
| Surprising and comfortable sophistication in the countryside.
An attractive setting (might you guess from the name that the restaurant
is in an eight-sided building?) with an even more attractive view
and dishes many of which will please. Among best first courses are
the roast beef with cream and mustard sauce, mushrooms filled with
sauteed herbs or with Roquefort cheese; an excellent pastry in which
layers of herbed potatoes and goat's cheese come together nicely
(ignore the wild berry sauce because even though it is good it tends
to hide the richness of the other ingredients). For main courses,
the steaks are very good bets (the mustard and pepper sauce is a
good choice), but my own favorite was of the hamburger with a layer
of melted Camembert at its heart. Good desserts, responsive service
and a small but appropriate wine list. Open Monday - Saturday 12:00
- 24:00. |
The Old Man and The Sea,
6 Ben Gurion, Haifa. Tel: (04) 850-7777 |
** |
Fish and Seafood |
Reasonable - Moderate |
| Sea blue stained glass windows, a few nautical ropes,
imitation portholes, and the ship's lanterns that provide lighting
are nothing if not kitsch but this is forgivable here because the
service is truly excellent and the fish and seafood dishes you will
receive are great fun to eat. Open with a selection from the self-service
antipasti table, some of the best bets from which are the first
boiled and then fried in butter Jerusalem artichokes, the whole
heads of cooked, lightly marinated fennel, the potato salad the
roasted garlic cloves and the fried, breaded cauliflower. (Give
the pasta salad a miss). For main courses consider the shrimps in
tomato sauce, the shrimps cooked perfectly and served in a piquant,
lightly chunky and well herbed tomato sauce or the good soups (the
one I enjoy the best is a cream soup based on fish stock in which
you will find an abundance of shredded crab meat and calamari rings).
A simple but acceptable wine list and good closing coffee but with
the exception of a really good creme brulee, the desserts are not
special. Prices are moderate to reasonable throughout the day but
the business lunches are especially good deals. Open daily 12:00
- 22:30. |
| Pagoda: On the Lido Beach, Tiberias. Tel 04 6725513 |
** |
Far Eastern |
Reasonable - Moderate |
| Westernized but fun Chinese, Thai and Japanese dining
either indoors or on the large terrace with a warm welcome, responsive
service on water's edge and with an exquisite view of the Kinneret
(Sea of Galilee). Don't hesitate to order one of the "combination
menus", keeping in mind when you do order that portions here
are huge. Start off with the Thai-style tam yam soup with slices
of chicken breast and just hot and sweet enough flavors imparted
from the light tomato flavored stock or the nicely sweet coconut
flavored stock, also with julienned strips of chicken breasts. Continue
with the crisp and tasty vegetable filled eggrolls that are served
with a variety of sauces. As main courses consider the delightfully
spicy hot lemon chicken that is coated with a crispy batter or the
crisp slices of goose meat, these coated in the flaky tempura style.
Don't skip the good fried rice and the salad of red and green peppers,
bean sprouts and cucumbers in a light vinegar and rice-wine sauce
or the tempting noodles with vegetables. A good bet for lunch or
dinner when in the area of the Kinneret and a very good bet if accompanied
by children. Prices are reasonable - moderate. Open Sun - Thurs
12:00 - 23:00. |
Rosemarine:
Moshav Beit Hillel, Upper Galilee. Tel: (04) 5281378 |
**/*** |
Country Style |
Moderate |
| In a simple but appealing wood building with a pastoral
view and an eclectic menu featuring dishes as French or Italian
as they are country-style Mediterranean. Among the charms here are
that the herbs used generously in many of the dishes are grown locally
and the meats are smoked on the premises. Meals open with a generous
antipasti, of which best tastings are squash in yoghurt, white bean
salad with tarragon and mint, Bulgarian cheese with za'atar, peeled
red peppers in a light balsamic vinaigrette and country style liver
pate. Very best of the first course offerings is a salad of mallow
(chubeza in Hebrew) with a peppery grapefruit sauce. Some people
call mallow "the food of the poor" but the dish is a treat.
Very good bets for main courses are the smoked goose breast in a
lightly sweet-sour pear and apple sauce and the various steaks (remind
the waiter at least twice that you want your steak medium-rare).
For lunch or early dinner, an excellent place to visit with
children who can dine on pasta or burgers and then entertaining
themselves by roaming in the adjoining fields with the horses,
ducks and geese that are everywhere to be found. Prices are moderate.
Open daily 12:00 - 24:00.
|
Sahara
Behind the petrol station at the entrance to Kfar Na'im, on the
Afula-Tiberias Road. Tel: (04) 6425959. |
**
|
Traditional Arab |
Moderate |
| Imagine, if you will, driving along and suddenly coming
across a dessert castle so unlikely that you expect to see Gene
Wilder, costumed as Beau Geste and his cohort of zany French Foreign
Legionnaires standing on the turreted roof waiting to either greet
or fight you off. Call it Disney-like, kitsch or hyperreal as you
like, but moat and all (with gold fish and even a large turtle swimming
in it), this is precisely the building that was built to house "Sahara".
And the best part of the joke is that the building is actually appealing.
Sandstone walls, lots of wood filigree, handsome fabrics and a warm
greeting come together nicely.
As is traditional in most Arab restaurants, meals open with a
large meze. The green tchina is rich with finely chopped parsley
and dill; the thick humous is served with whole chick peas; a
salad made up entirely of chopped fresh herbs with nothing more
on it than lemon juice and good olive oil; the thick, creamy and
just lemony enough and the piquant Arabic salad are all good,
even excellent. The best first course, however, is undoubtedly
the baba ghanouzh, a smooth combination of fried eggplant, onion,
parsley mixed together with tchina, salt, lemon juice and pine
nuts that will woo you completely. As a main course you won't
go at all wrong with the delicious muchmar, a dish widely agreed
to be indigenous to the rural Arabs of the northern plains of
Israel. Made by marinating Cornish game hens in lemon juice and
olive oil and then cooking them over hot charcoals, the finished
dish is served with potatoes and yoghurt, everything spread over
a large pita. As lovely as were the chicken and the sauce, the
best part came in finishing off the pita which had absorbed all
of the flavors of the drippings. Consider as well the good kebabs
and the mutton cooked in the clay taboon oven. Skip the desserts.
Worth a visit if you are driving by. Open daily 12:00 - 24:00.
Moderate prices.
|
Siam:
Hamat Gader. Tel. (04) 6659933. |
* |
Thai |
Moderate |
| Set over the hot sulphur springs of the Golan Heights
in a wood building that calls to mind Japan more than it does Thailand,
this Disney-like restaurant serves distinctly Westernized but still
pleasant Thai food. As appetizers consider the corn friters; the
mini pastries filled with ground beef and peanuts; and the mixture
of chicken and tofu seasoned nicely with coriander and sesame seeds.
The chicken soup, flavored with lemon grass and coconut milk and
the spiced fish soup are pleasant. As main courses consider the
red Saint Peter's fish in tamarindi sauce; the pastry shell of chicken
cooked in coconut milk, coriander and a modicum of hot pepper; and
the beef that is steamed together with coconut milk and vegetables.
Open Monday - Saturday from 12:00 - 24:00 and Sunday 12:00 - 15:00.
Kosher. |
Tzela ha Tavor:
in the commercial center of Kfar Tavor. Tel: 04 6769966. |
* |
International |
Moderate |
| Located in the shadow of Mount Tavor, and with a naive,
almost innocent appeal, this restaurant is an oasis in the Galilee.
The cold roast beef on a bed of raw spinach, the fried goose liver
in a tartar style sauce, and the fried eggplant with cheese are
excellent starters. Among the best main courses are the pan fried
steaks, served in their skillets with simple but good sauces, the
large hamburgers, and the chicken-based Cordon Bleu. To add to the
simple charm of the place, the service is friendly and responsive
and the wine list is surprisingly good. Open daily 12:00 - 24:00.
|
Uri Burri:
Lighthouse Square, Old Acco. Tel 04 95552212. |
***/**** |
Fish and Seafood |
Moderate |
| Uri, the owner and more-or-less chef at
this simple but charming and remarkably friendly place (formerly
long established in Nahariya) is one of the most charming restaurant
owners you will ever meet and he takes enormous pride in pleasing
those who come to dine with him. Your best bet at this lovely place
is to ignore the menu, to invest a few minutes in talking with Uri
and then, after hearing what are the freshest and best fish he has,
throwing yourself on his mercy and letting him bring whatever treats
to the table he decides are in order. Among the very opening courses
you will sample are the seviche of amberjack fish, the fresh anchovy
fillets and the raw shrimps in a delightful lemon, oil and hot pepper
sauce. Go on to the fish soup made special by the addition of coconut
milk, lemon and lime peel, and then continue with baby calamaris,
grilled amberjack steaks with an option of two sauces (a chunky
tartare sauce and one of a richly herbed, lightly hot lemon sauce),
baby soles so tender they will virtually melt in your mouth, and
either crab meat or coquilles St jacques, both of which are served
in a delicately curry flavored cream sauce. For dessert try the
mint and cinnamon flavored home made ice creams. For the truly brave
of heart, consider the eleven course degustation menu. Whatever
you decide, I promise that you won't go wrong here. The wine list
is weak but Uri encourages his clients to bring their own wines
(my own choices, to open with a Burgundy white and then to continue
with an Australian Pinot Noir). Open daily 12:00 - 23:00 or later.
One of the 10 Best Casual Restaurants in the Country. |
Vered haGalil:
in Korazim on the road from Rosh Pina to Sefad. Tel. 04 6935785 |
* |
American |
Reasonable |
| In addition to offering horseback riding,
cross-country hikes and a magnificent view, this beautiful ranch
set in the lush hills of the Galilee also has a restaurant that
is worthy of note, especially for lunch. The chicken salad, with
plenty of finely chopped chicken and green pepper is good and so
is the tuna salad. The chopped liver, with lots of chicken fat and
chopped onion and the coleslaw are also worth trying. Continue with
a hamburger, the smoked trout, the cold salmon with tartar sauce
or the smoked beef served in barbecue sauce. Be sure to sample the
good apple and berry pies that are offered. This may not be paradise
for true gastronomes, but the restaurant is good to visit when driving
through the area. Open daily 12:00 - 23:00. |
© Daniel Rogov
|
