Eating
Breakfasts were enormous buffets. Mind-boggling in amount and type of food displayed.
Lunch was what you would expect, but better. Hummus, falafel, hot sauces, pita, etc., every day. Haven’t been able to replicate it in New York, hummus-wise, except maybe at The Hummus Place, multiple locations.
Dinners
Jerusalem
Adom. Pleasant, nice space. We started with cheese ravioli and wild eggplant and Jerusalem artichokes in yoghurt tahini sauce. Main courses were chicken livers in a maple glaze with mashed potatoes and calamari and rice with olives and peppers. Of course a bottle of Israeli red. (being ignorant regarding boutique Israeli wines, we ordered a different mid-priced red wine every night and had good experiences. The couple of times we splurged, the wines were exceptional.) 31 Jaffa Road, in Feingold courtyard 02-624-6242.
Chakra
We could only get a reservation at the bar for this “buzzy” restaurant. We shared a vegetable antipasti plate composed of cauliflower, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, beets, bulgar, sweet potatoes, tomato salad, and very thin sheets of Iranian pita bread. Our chicken cordon bleu was dry, but the salad that accompanied it was terrific. The food was well-priced for Israel, where you tend to pay the same for a meal as you do in NYC. 18 Shlomzion Street 02-625-2733.
New Dolphin. Lebanese cuisine. Shared mezes, then had grilled fish. The fish was excellent; the vegetable accompaniments dull and overcooked. Sheikh Jarrah-Shimon Hatsedic 7 02-532-2001.
Arcadia
A very well-known “chef restaurant”. The dinner was very expensive prix fixe and a great disappointment. The restaurant is small and was only half-filled when we were there. They served an amuse of cold yoghurt soup with spices; hummus and red pepper dip. I had a shellfish plate which was excellent, but R’s lamb stew was a dull small portion. Certainly not worth the price. 10 Agrippas Street 02-624-9138.
Darna
Kosher, Moroccan “chef restaurant”. Not as good as the food in Morocco, but not bad.
3 Horkanos Street 02-624-5406.
Tel Aviv
Rafael. Excellent, from the service to the food to the wine. Great goat cheese, beet and endive salad, superb lamb chops and liver. 87 Hayarkon Street (in a high rise attached to the Dan Hotel) 03-522-6464.
Manta Ray. On the beach, near the Dan Panorama Hotel. A fish restaurant with good octopus and fish. Nice salads. Very casual and pleasant. Almah beach 03-517-4774.
Rosh Pina
Our base on the Galilee was Mizpe Hayamim, a spa hotel and member of Relais & Chateaux. Lovely facials, lovely junior suite and terrific food (says R: “best tomato soup ever”). Almost everything came from their farm, their garden, or a local kibbutz. We paid a supplement to eat in the restaurant rather than at the buffet. 04-699-4555.
Shopping
Michal Negrin everywhere (including Madison Avenue)(also including a discount store at the airport in Tel Aviv). Cool Victorian jewelry; some clothes and accessories. A must visit (great for gifts). You can also look for Gottex bathing suits in Israel, and Naot sandals.
Jerusalem
Heifetz
Contemporary Judaica crafted of silver and metal, and very exciting jewelry. 24 Tiferet Israel Road (Jewish quarter) 02-628-0061.
Safed
Sarah’s Tent. Terrific art and jewelry, mostly contemporary. 56 Alkabets Street 04-692-3378.
Safed Candle Shop. 04-692-1093.
Tel Aviv
On Tuesdays and Fridays go to the craft market between Allenby Street and the Carmel Market. It has “good” things. The first table when I got there (away from the Carmel Market) was occupied by a woman selling rings, necklaces, bracelets, etc, out of paper mache and plaster. Brightly colored and very appealing, as well as inexpensive.
