1. Araais, M25
The combination of meat in a pita is the basis of the Israeli consensus. From the spits of hope to Jasmino. From Shawarma to Asa Inn. The amount of possibilities for this combination is only smaller than the number of barbecues on traffic islands on Independence Day. And yet, of all this vast selection, the M25’s Arais is the broadest common denominator. The combination between the excellent meat and the crispy pita is one side of the equation. Its other side is the tomato salad with tahini served with the dish. The most local, the simplest, the most us.
Our wildest dreams. M25. Photo: From the M25 Volt page
2. New York windows, Hudson
In North Tel Aviv, in Ramat Hay’al
They serve an exceptional dish there
And everyone who tasted it, will remember it forever
The meat is excellent, but the sauce is perfect
He’s perfect, he’s perfect, he’s perfect, he’s perfect
“Japanese toffee sauce sirloin”. 4 words that hide a work of culinary art. A synergistic combination between substance and spirit (or in this case between steak and sweet butter sauce). There are few dishes that manage to tell so little by their name alone, and still be as accurate as this. Whoever says no to such a dish does not deserve to be part of human society.
New York windows on the Hudson (photo: Dan Peretz)
3. Hamburger // showcase
It’s not that there aren’t other successful hamburgers in the city (come on, there’s Benz Brothers and GDB within a throw of fries. Also, come on, why are you throwing fries? Were you born in a hamburger joint?). Still, no person in their right mind would say no to a showcase hamburger. It’s the meat, it’s the bun, it’s the seasoning, it’s the perfect fries with lemon zest that annoys with its absurdity but does exactly the job. Even if there are better ones than him (there aren’t, but in theory) there are none as good as him.
You should not be wary of imitations because there are no imitations. Showcase (from the Facebook page of Showcase)
4. Knapa // Yapa Knapa
There are many successful desserts in the city. From the cheese cake and St. Unaro puffs by Ruthie Brodu, through the crack pie and lemon meringue by Magazino and the beer nights by Santa Karina to the candy box by Yuval Ben Naria. But above all of them stands the best knapa in dialing area 03. Knapa is everything the reasonable person dreams of at night. Crunchy, soft, creamy sweetness. The thing that connects us to this place, to its history and to the future of all of us. Many times there are complaints about the Zionist movement that chose to bring us here. Yapa Knapa is the compensation for the difficult moments.
Like in Turkey. Better than Turkey. Knapa in Knapa Yapa (photo: David Moyal)
5. Cauliflower // Eyal Shani Factories
What else has not been said about this event. The boiled and then baked cauliflower, which has already conquered the world, has been featured in articles in the New York Times and only for political reasons has not yet entered the list of UNESCO heritage sites, is much more than cauliflower. Even people (like me) who generally believe that vegetables are not really food but food of food, unable to resist its temptation every time. A perfect combination of crispness and softness with burning caresses that are a perfect example of the Maillard effect, make it a great go-to dish.
Whole cauliflower baked in the oven of Eyal Shani. Photo: Anatoli Michaelou
5.5. Olive oil jam // OCD, you want
It’s not a dish, but it’s perfection. The fact that this masterpiece cannot be bought in any supermarket is on the level of a crime against humanity. It is so delicious, so Israeli and so genius that it should be distributed with the Independence Day newspapers instead of the Israeli flag.