Tel Aviv
BUSINESS LEISURE

TEL AVIV AND 106 CULINARY NATIONS

“When I researched my Israel book, I was not aware that I would look into such different pots. I had a completely wrong idea of ​​the cuisine of Israel or Tel Aviv. “Mirko Reeh, TV chef and guest author of Bleisure Traveler

On my last trip I was allowed to test the “Onza” and was surprised that I got Turkish-Israeli cuisine on the table. The colleagues Arik and Muli are masters in the kitchen when it comes to merging the dishes, the concept is a taste experience between the two worlds, and my favorite is the stuffed bread. I was also completely surprised by the “Shtsupak” and its Russian cuisine. A crazy restaurant with an extreme menu: many varied fish dishes and a classic Russian cuisine meet Schnitzel and Bavarian cakes here. The quality is great and really extraordinary. Especially if you want to try a completely different cuisine.

And so I can only say: Tel Aviv is a real foodie capital. Everywhere there are small, fine restaurants and markets that are unparalleled in this concentration. And just a few meters away you can experience a completely different culinary influence.

While researching my book, I discovered ten nations that are enjoying themselves in a culinary way in Tel Aviv. A friend who moved to Tel Aviv two years ago took the book as an opportunity to try them all. Her feedback? Even if you live there, you never visit the same restaurant because the city is so incredibly diverse and wants to be discovered.

Also Impressive are the many markets and market halls, as virtually in every district there are several Israeli products. My tip for Foodies is the Sarona Market, an absolute highlight. Whether fish or meat, herbs and spices – the quality is great and varied. The strawberries in particular fascinate me: the taste that I remember from my childhood becomes a reality again and again. Strawberries today definitely taste different than 30 years ago – in the market, I feel transported back in time.

And Israeli cuisine in general? The 106 culinary nations were naturally created by the immigrants who brought their cuisine with them. Over time, many recipes have been reinterpreted and adapted to the Mediterranean. Pirogies are an exciting example of Polish cuisine. These dumplings are classically filled with sauerkraut, mushrooms and potatoes and served, for example, with a beetroot soup. In Tel Aviv, Pirogies can be found in many restaurants with crazy variations, in the German one especially with Bavarian and Hessian influences.

From bagels to shakshuka

But where can you become a great tester yourself? A legend is the Dr. Shakshuka, the national dish of the Israelis. It is actually served for breakfast, but now it has become an all day recipe, and there is even a festival to do so. In principle, there are poached eggs in a very spicy tomato sauce. (there is a recipe with my interpretation at the end of the article) Shakshuka is remarkable in the selection of crazy and unusual dishes around Shakshuka. My favorite here is the Oriental Pasta version.

In any case, what you have to try is Shawarma, that meat dish that exists in Israel as a fast, yet reasonably healthy food in between on almost every corner. My favorite restaurants for shawarma are the Onza and the Night Kitchen. In the latter there are more than 15 variants and you can also be inspired and try other versions.

If you want to eat in a very classic and modern way, the Goldman is the right place for you. In addition to the classic Israeli tapas such as humus, chickpea salad and sweet and sour beetroot, this restaurant is the perfect place for fish – the lemon fish is especially divine, tender and aromatic. But also the braised leg slices in dark red wine sauce are unparalleled. And Goldman is also the right place for wine lovers. The selection is very large, from Israeli wines of every price range to top locations in France, Germany and Italy.

Tel Aviv is a city that never really sleeps, no matter at what time of day, you can always get something to eat – and that doesn’t mean the classic fast food chains. Abulafia, a large bakery that is open around the clock and now has several branches in Tel Aviv, is a crazy shop. From classic German raisin buns to Turkish pastries, you can get everything here – including, of course, the classic Israeli bagels, which are only comparable to those from the USA to a limited extent. The Israeli bagels are made more like a roll dough, with sesame seeds, only longish (see recipe at the end of the article). One finds this bread on every restaurant table and in the markets. So, on to Tel Aviv, in the absolute culinary melting pot. I always feel very comfortable here and was still in one and the same restaurant during my travels.


Mirko Reeh …

is on culinary travels around the world almost all year long. The cook spends the “remaining” time in his cooking school in Frankfurt, in his own television studio or writing cookery books. Besides “Israel – Culinary Journey with Mirko Reeh” he has written over 40 cookbooks so far. Some are excellent and have been published in several languages. www.mirko-reeh.com

“Israel – Kulinarische Reise mit Mirko Reeh”

Rund 60 Rezepte, die in Israel in aller Munde sind, neu arrangiert und kombiniert auf Mirko-Reeh-Art. Flankiert von Infos, Hintergründen und Erlebnissen. 160 Seiten, 54 Seiten mit Bildern.
(erhältlich unter www.mirko-reeh.com)

Fotos: © Mirko Reeh, © iStock.com/stellalevi, © iStock.com/Dar1930, © iStock.com/Rawf8

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