A Fork And A Suitcase

Claro, a very pretty restaurant in the  Sarona complex, is located in an original Templar building erected in 1886.  This building, over the span of its existence, was used as the Official State Printing office and the headquarters of the British command during WWII.  Even the Mossad and the Defense Ministry used this space in the 60's.  On the eve of the Declaration of Independence, Hebrew mailing stamps were printed here. Today, Claro, calls this grand building home.  This open kitchen restaurant has large wooden beams, lots of exposed brick, wrought iron fixtures, and a nice variety of flowers and plants. To be honest, I am a bit torn about my feelings when it comes to this restaurant.  I loved the decor and the atmosphere of the place.  I loved the food, which was both delicious and creative.  However, the service was abysmal.  I don't know if they were overwhelmed,  understaffed, or simply had an off day, but this was the wors...

I fell in love with Bucke Cafe, a wonderful spot for a delicious breakfast, lunch, or light dinner.   The café has a very warm welcoming vibe and the mismatched chairs, couches, a wooden hutch, and scattered photos and paintings, give it a very homey feeling. I really liked this place before I even ordered anything. We were seated outside under umbrellas, which shielded us from the strong sun.  The place was filled with young families with small children, people working on their laptops, a nice couple on a date, and a group of friends enjoying a beautiful day.  Once the beautifully presented food arrived I began to plan my return visit.  I even asked for the menu again to see what else might be worth ordering once I come back. The vegetarian menu is full of great and creative choices. To say that the food was fresh and delicious would be an understatement. This Bucke Tray of scrambled eggs, tuna salad, veggies, feta cheese, eggplant with Labneh topped w...

After our  first very memorable visit to OCD, we were eager to repeat the experience.  I booked our dinner about a month in advance since, deservedly, OCD has become much more popular in the last year or so.  They still do two seatings per night and one Friday brunch per month. There is something very exciting about the surprise aspect of the dining experience at OCD.  There is no menu; while booking the reservation one is asked about any dietary restrictions, and during the evening the diners watch each dish being meticulously prepared by the team in the open kitchen.  We marveled as we watched attention being paid to every minute detail and the choreography utilized by the chefs in assembling each plate.  This is more than a dinner; it is a theatrical production with spectacular and beautifully presented food. Our dinner began with this beautiful poori with cardamom leaves foam and cucumber ceviche. Marinated amberjack with soy and lemon, b...