The Old Man and the Sea, Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Funny how with so many visits to Tel Aviv, this was our first time at The Old Man and The Sea. We have been hosting friends who have never visited Israel and decided to finally give it a try.

The weather was perfect; a nice sunny day with a gentle breeze wafting from the sea.

The picturesque setting right by the port is great for people watching, looking at the boats anchored at the marina and enjoying the great smell of the sea in the air.

What's fun at this place is that as soon as we sat down, all these little bowls filled with a great variety of vegetables and salads were placed on the table. We got hummus on a big plate, bowls of marinated beets, cabbage, tabbouleh, tahini, carrots, cauliflower, babaganoush, falafel balls, potato salad and so much more, all twenty salads in total. All of that is accompanied by a huge piece of warm lafa bread and a pitcher of house lemonade with nana (mint). We marveled at the waiters who juggled the trays full of salad bowls and piled plates, bowls, forks, knives, cups and a pitcher and scurry with it all into the kitchen.

This is a lively restaurant, perfect for lunch or dinner with friends, the more the merrier.

It was a Wednesday and the restaurant was not terribly busy, we were able to get a table outside without any wait.

Our friends loved their Dennis fish.

I ordered the St. Peter's fish which was fried, flaky, fresh and delicious.

A few days later we returned with another couple of friends and sat inside. It was a Saturday and the restaurant was very busy, we had to wait about 30 minutes for a table.

At the end of our meal we were gifted cups of really strong coffee and some sweet treats.

The decor is very pleasant and clean and the atmosphere hectic but fun.

Our two lunches at The Old Man and The Sea were very enjoyable and delicious. This is a fun, loud, frenzied but solid place.

Jaffa Port

Joanna

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