A City that Never Sleeps

By Taly Matiteyahu

During a recent family dinner, my uncle said, “Tel Aviv is the city that never sleeps.”  Having spent the last four years in Manhattan, I couldn’t help but object.  “New York is the city that never sleeps.”   He scoffed, saying there was no other city in the world like Tel Aviv.  My love for New York aside, my uncle had a point.

While New York may never shut down, with stores that stay open 24-7, a lively nightlife scene in various neighborhoods, and a public transportation system that always runs, the city does sleep.  The Financial District, which is overwhelmingly bustling during the daytime, becomes eerily calm and quiet after business hours.  The Upper East Side bar scene is tame on weekday evenings.  When there is bad weather, people quickly opt to stay in rather than go out.  While New York may be called the city that never sleeps, New Yorkers certainly do.

I think part of the difference between New York and Tel Aviv is weather-induced.  The climate in Tel Aviv is such that people want to (and can) enjoy spending time outside.  While it can get quite hot during the day in the summer months, the weather in Tel Aviv is pretty wonderful. Plans to go out are practically never hindered by rainstorms or snow.  Taking a walk or run on the tayelet (the boardwalk along the beach that runs from Yafo to Hatzok Beach) during the sunset, feeling the cool breeze against your skin, hearing nearby street musicians—it’s addictive in a way strolls along the Hudson River never were.

Tel Aviv is not just awake 24-7, but it’s also alive.  People go out every night of the week, whether to Tel Aviv restaurants, bars, cafes, or the beach.  That’s not to say New Yorkers don’t go out—they most certainly do.  But Tel Aviv has something New York doesn’t… and I’m still trying to pinpoint exactly what the distinction is.

In the two weeks since I’ve arrived in Israel, I know I’ve only started to experience the Israeli lifestyle.  While I am Israeli (I was raised in America by Israeli emigrants) I’ve never visited Israel for more than a month at a time.  So far, I’m thrilled with life in Tel Aviv, despite constantly wishing I were better oriented with the city structure and geography as I was in New York.  I know such knowledge and familiarity comes with time. I’m looking forward to getting to know Tel Aviv better, even if it means continuously debunking the notion that my beloved New York is not the city that never sleeps, but only a city that never sleeps.

Taglit-Birthright Israel - With a Culinary Focus

Two of our favorite concepts are colliding; the appreciation of food and the appreciation of Israel. Taglit-Birthright Israel has brought over 300,000 young adults from all over the world to Israel for their first trip. They are planning a trip this winter through IsraelExperts, and the trip focuses on the foods of Israel! While every day we marvel at the mix of ethnicities here in Israel, as our country is made up of people who have immigrated from all corners of the globe. This phenomenon of immigration has profoundly affected Israeli culture in many ways. We will be the first to tell you how Israeli cuisine is one area where this mixing-pot effect can prominently be seen. Middle Eastern, Russian, North and South American, Ethiopian and Asian flavors permeate the streets of Israel creating a modern culinary fusion that is totally unique and incredibly delicious. It is impossible to wander the streets of Israel and not be overwhelmed by the wide array of smells and foods that are an undeniable staple of Israeli life. The culinary trip that IsraelExperts plans will allow participants to visit and learn about all of Israel's major tourist sites, with a focus on experiencing the uniqueness of Israel from a culinary perspective. I wish this trip was available when I did my trip back in 2005, or even when I staffed trips when I first made Aliyah. I enjoyed all of my experiences and made it a point to try and experience as many restaurants in Israel as possible, but joining a trip with a focus on food?! If you haven’t been to Israel and have even the tiniest inkling… I wouldn’t hesitate to join this trip.

Past Culinary Taglit-Birthright Israel Trips have included visits to the following places:

• The spice tour in Israel’s most famous outdoor market, Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem.

• Learned how to make traditional Israeli and Middle Eastern foods such as humus, falafel and schwarma.

• Wine tours in some of Israel’s best vineyards to learn about Israel’s award winning wine culture.

• An innovative agricultural farm in the desert called Shvil Ha'Salat that grows some of the most unique and delicious fruits and vegetables in Israel.

• A bakery in the old city of Jerusalem to learn about how fresh pita is traditionally made. 

If you are interested, we have gathered the following information for you:

Registration for the trip opens on Wednesday September 14th at 10:00 am EST. For more information and to sign up please visit http://taglit.israelexperts.com/

Need help registering? Here are more instructions. 

Hippo Falafel

Written By: Shira Nanus

If you were to stand on Dizengoff, stop ten people, and ask them, “What’s your favorite place to eat falafel in Tel Aviv?” you’d probably get around ten different answers. Ok, at least eight. The point is every Tel Avivian has their most coveted falafel joint, the place they swear won’t disappoint, that they happily give their business to and recommend time and time again.

But what about organic falafel? If you repeated the above experiment but asked passersby for their favorite place to eat healthy falafel, then you’d probably get the same ten responses, which would most likely be Hippo Falafel. With two locations opened in the city center in the last five years, Hippo is the place for healthier salads, falafel, and hummus that are delicious without the inflated price tag often associated with organic food.

Dima Kaminsky worked in the falafel business for many years before the mid-1990s when he noticed a healthy, organic food trend in Tel Aviv. He realized no such thing existed for falafel, a meal often associated with “deep-fried” and “fast food”. “All the ingredients in a falafel are healthy, but when put them together it can become unhealthy,” said Ido Breier, Hippo’s long-time manager. “People in Tel Aviv want to eat Israeli food but they won’t because it’s not healthy enough for them.” Thus Kaminsky set out to create a more nutritious falafel, and not just the balls but the whole sandwich and all its components.

He tested different ways to prepare falafel balls and discovered when frying falafel in canola oil it creates a fluffier ball that absorbs less oil that is “not good but not bad”. In addition, he invested in a specific deep fryer that extracts the oil while the falafel is being cooked. When the falafel is ready it is left without a single extra drop of oil.

Kaminsky further uses a recipe that satisfies the needs of his healthier and diet-restricted customers, such as those with a gluten intolerance. While Ido, shied away from sharing Hippo’s “secret” falafel ingredients, he did emphasize the elimination of flour, which creates a less dense, moist falafel ball.

This was my impression of Hippo when I tried it for the first time some months ago. The falafel wasn’t dry or too crunchy as other eateries in Tel Aviv. I didn’t get oil all over my lips and fingers. It was tasty, almost tastier than the other falafel places in Tel Aviv that I’d frequented for years, and it was a pleasure to eat. This is also the fresh factor: Ido and his kitchen staff arrive at seven each morning to prep, cut, and cook the ingredients that is delivered daily from the market. And it pays off: aside from the yummy falafel, the sauces and salads supplied as add-ons taste crisp, natural, and are packed with flavor.

Hippo doesn’t use any food colorings or added preservatives. Pita comes in white, brown, or soy. Chickpeas for the falafel and hummus are grown on chemical-free organic farms. The salads and sauces are classics with a twist: “green tahini”, a parsley and tahini puree, chimichurri, savory tomato salsa, and quinoa salad with mint. And everything is fair game: you’re welcome to all the salads behind the counter and all ten sauces at the do-it-yourself condiment bar (those are unlimited, so I highly recommend ordering your falafel to stay). The restaurant is named after a vegetarian animal, and the ingredients are so nutritious and fresh it didn’t offer fries on the menu until three months ago due to local pressures. Bottom line: this is the place to eat for a filling, healthier meal and when you want falafel minus the calorie count.

And what price do you pay for this wholesome sandwich? Twenty shekels for a plate, 17 for a falafel, and 11 for a half (but get this: it’s a shekel less at the Dizengoff location). Ido actually claims Hippo has the biggest “half falafel” in Tel Aviv because they only cut off ¼ of the pita. Did I mention you sip green tea on the house while waiting for your order?

“We believe when everything is fresh it’s better,” said Breier. It tastes better and it’s best for our customers, who are seeking healthier choices in what they’re eating.”

What Dreams May Come

By: Judith Goldstein

Last night we had the pleasure of attending Mezcal's (best Mexican restaurant in Tel Aviv) private tasting party for the upcoming expansion of Mezcal in Florentine. Owner's Ziv and Esther Erlich generously invited the members of TasteTLV to taste some of the new items on the menu, talk about what's to come and just enjoy some foodie company. The dinner was hosted by one of Mezcal's regulars, Ran, who graciously invited everyone to his home and recreated the Mezcal we know, love and miss. There was even the Frida Kahlo picture that was previously at Mezcal. The attendees including Mezcal's regulars, friends of Ziv and Esther and other food aficionados. We met the artist, Adi, who painted the Frida Kahlo painting with the parrots that adorned the Mezcal wall and she gave us the buzz on her new painting for the expanded Mezcal, we don't know much about it but we know that it will be a picture of Diego Rivera, I'm sure that it'll be as beautiful as the picture of his wife.

As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by Ziv and Esther and the Mezcal staff; chef Kaley made the delicious dishes and right away they took our drinks orders: a choice of Mojito, Caipirinha, and Beer. Then we got to taste some of the dishes. We started with the tostada which was on the old menu and will remain on the new one, it was as delicious as ever. Then we tried a salad on the new menu; The salad was made with green leaf lettuce, bitter herbs, tomatoes, red onions, beets and pomelo and was topped with a chili-lime vinaigrette. It was full of flavors- sweet, bitter, citrus, and spicy and full of texture. The salad will be a light alternative to some of the more robust dishes on the menu. Then we had the new chile con carne and Mexican rice. The chili is a recreation of the old one, this one more hearty with added vegetables and chipotle peppers. And last but not least we had a reinvention of a favorite dessert, the banana and chocolate wrapped in tortilla, served with fresh ice-cream and caramel sauce. The variation is to bake the tortilla instead of frying it. We had mixed opinions on what was better but I have no doubt that either way it's going to be devoured like it was last night.

The best part of the evening was when we had the chance to sit with Ziv and Esther and really talk about the new menu. I can't even begin to describe how excited we are for what's to come, we are seriously waiting at the edge of our seats for Mezcal to re-open so we can savor these dishes. Now that Ziv and Kaley have a bigger kitchen to work with, some of the old classics will be remastered, such as the mole- made from scratch from A-Z and they will use dark and light chicken meat, which they will simmer for hours until it reaches the right texture and consistency- they are going to take it to another level. Ziv will also introduce some new exciting dishes, such as fried calamari with poblano pepper sauce. He's going to play with some new salsa recipes that he's been brainstorming. However, the thing that Ziv was most eager to talk about are the new dishes that are very authentically Mexican. With literally a sparkle in his eye, Ziv begins to tell us that they will begin to use different cow organs in dishes, such as the tongue and the brain, they will be introducing really simple tacos that come on fresh corn tortillas and are served (like in Mexico) with only a side of salsa, one of these include the tongue taco (which I'm the most excited for).

Ziv a true lover of Mexican food and culture and as a purist to the cuisine, feels very passionate about sharing with Israelis authentic Mexican food. Ziv is really a pioneer in this cuisine as far as Israel goes, but he's also a pioneer for any place in the world. There aren't many Mexican restaurants, even in the States, that will serve very authentic food, because they are trying to please the local palette. Ziv is bold and brave and clever. He's mixing it up on the new menu with some Mexican-Mediterranean dishes, some dishes that resemble Mexican cuisine and some nitty gritty authentic dishes, really giving everyone a choice to fulfill their pleasures. We are sure that whatever dreams may come, Ziv and his staff are going to continue to pave the way for Mexican cuisine in this country and will continue to be one of the best restaurants in the city- with passion and commitment to food like Ziv has- there is no other way it can be!

Amore Amore Mio?

Written by Judith Goldstein

Name: Amore Mio
Address: Ibn Gvirol 100
Phone Number: 03-524-4040
Hours: Sun-Sat 12pm-12am
Daily lunch specials till 4pm
Reservation recommended; for Friday and Saturday nights 1-2 weeks in advance
Great for big parties

On a long walk and we stumble past a seemingly charming restaurant on Ibn Gvirol. The food on people's plates looks good enough so we walk in. The hostess is surprised that we don't have a reservation, but we manage to get seats anyway.
Once inside the interior looks familiarly Italian, with a Sicilian edge. A blown of picture of the owner's family in Rome accents the wall in front of us. They are sitting at a table, Godfather style with a couple of bottles of red wine perched in front of them. The interior is mildly dark, with exposed brick, and plenty of chotchkies adorning the walls. It's big and small in the same breath. Large parties gather around us, clinking wine glasses, licking foam off their beers. It's festive inside. A perfect place for your loud toddler.

The menu is direct, first courses include Carpaccio, Bruschetta and other things I can't quite remember. A simple selection of Pizzas, mostly tomato based sauces for the Pasta, but a few surprises here and there. There is home-made gnocchi- varies seasonally and Rissotto. We ordered the 4 cheese pizza, insalta verde, and the eggplant and black olive pasta. The pizza had a thin crunchy crust, the cheese was sharp and tasty, and overall it was simply a treat. The pasta was drenched with sauce, lacking the subtlety in traditional Italian cooking, but it was still tasty and robust. I hoped that the insalata verde would be served at the end of the meal, like the way it is in Italy, but it was fresh and cool and the salad dressing was lightly drizzled, giving it a scrumptious bite, yet maintaining the flavor of the green leaf lettuce.

Overall the atmosphere, food and friendly service proved to make Amore Mio a well rounded stop. A perfect place for families and big parties. Bantering children fit perfectly well in this warm, boisterous environment and when all is said and done you feel like the family in the picture, relaxing amongst loved ones and enjoying the dishes in front of you. Do I Amore Amore Mio? Let's just say, I like it a lot.