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

Comments

Bordier Butter - The Best Butter in France

France is in the midst of a butter shortage! Due to a decrease in milk production and a substantial demand for French pastries all over the world (mainly China and the Middle East), the price of butter has increased by 60% in one year. The French are stocking up and thus creating shortages. French newspapers are publishing articles titled "A guide to cooking without butter". So, with hopes that the shortages are temporary, here is my ode to the best butter in the world. I'm not kidding. The. Best. Butter. In. The. World. Mr. Bordier, a grandson and a son of cheese mongers, became a butter artisan in 1985. He acquired a creamery originally founded in 1927. The supreme taste of the Bordier butter was first recognized by a chef from the Plaza Athenee while vacationing in Brittany, a beautiful region in northwestern France. Bordier is the lone butter master to still use the old method of kneading the butter according to the 19th century t...

Grandma's Kitchen, Hangzhou

In need of some traditional cooking, we made our way to Grandma's Home/Grandma's Kitchen. We were prepared for a long wait since this is a very popular restaurant, but got lucky and only waited for 15 minutes. It was after 8pm, maybe that was the reason. There is a computer at the entrance where one can register for a table. We just gave our name to the girl inside the lobby, she in turn handed us a paper with our number on it. As we waited outside, we kept our eyes glued to the screen in the lobby showing the ticket numbers. When our number came up, the lobby girl gave us the number of our table and we took the elevator to the 8th floor. The numbers are on the edge of each table. I really liked the design of the restaurant. It was creative in the use of old jars with words scribbled on them, chalk like drawings on the walls and bamboo beams creating a roof above us. The menu was in Chinese but we...

Indian Accent, NYC

Often when a question arises as to what to eat for dinner, I think of Indian food. I am a very happy gal with chicken makhani, basmati rice, an onion kulcha or a nan laid out in front of me. I have heard some very good things about Indian Accent, a relatively new restaurant in midtown Manhattan, adjacent to the Parker Hotel. The décor here is unlike most Indian restaurants I have visited; no boldly colored fabrics, beautiful tapestries, intricately carved wood, or lanterns. Indian Accent restaurant looks like something that Daniel Boulud would envision. There are about fifteen wooden tables and a few small booths, fabric covered modern chairs, a lit bar with glass shelves and golden accents throughout, and large glass vases filled with flowering branches. The menu is complicated, however, our terrific waiter took his time and explained each dish and even made some wonderful suggestions. Actually, everyone at the restaurant was really professiona...

A Fork And A Suitcase

Search This Blog