It all started with a flight to Spain. Shahar Meir and Ohad Faraj, childhood friends from Kfar Yona, traveled during their military service for a short vacation. Between trips the two went to restaurants and tried as many flavors as possible. Mainly the Mexican cuisine won their hearts.
5 Viewing the gallery
Ohad Faraj and Shahar Meir
(Photo: Abigail Uzi)
When they returned to Israel they decided that when the day came, when they were released from the army, they would bring the dishes they tasted in Spain to the Israeli table.
Decided – and carried out. A year ago, the two opened “Rapidos”, in the Y Center complex in Netanya, the first Mexican diner in the city. The concept is exactly what they dreamed of during the trip: familiar Mexican dishes with a local touch. The reactions are enthusiastic. The place has become a hit and attracts revelers from all over the country.
They have been friends for many years, ever since they studied together at “Ish Shalom” high school in Kfar Yona. “We grew up together,” says Meir. “We have the same hobbies, which is football, restaurants and parties, and we even traveled together during the army, even though Ohad served in the armor and I was a cook. In fact, Shahar’s time in the army as a cook in an elite unit is the only culinary training the two have.
Where does the connection to Mexican cuisine come from?
“Just from the trip we took while in the army. We flew together to Spain and there we were exposed to this cuisine and fell in love because we traveled to several areas that served these dishes. It caught our eye, both the eye and the stomach. We felt that this is the cuisine that should be revealed to the Israeli audience, with this atmosphere that is sexy, Young and modern, so we decided to fulfill this dream one day, after the army, to cook Mexican food. Obviously, we didn’t think of opening a Mexican restaurant so soon, but the dream started on this trip.”
5 Viewing the gallery
Rapidus. “We mobilized the family and the bank in order to open the restaurant”
(Photo: Abigail Uzi)
Shahar and Ohad say that what precipitated the decision to open a restaurant was actually the corona epidemic that brought them closer to pots and pans.
“During the Corona period, a fan and I started making deliveries of Mexican-American food in Kfar Yona,” says Shahar. “We just stood in the kitchen and made dishes, from colored chips to crunchy tortillas, and it went crazy for us, so we connected with a delivery company and made deliveries ourselves.”
“What was most successful was the crunch wrap with chips on the side or nachos,” adds a fan. According to him, as soon as the customers’ demand for the dish increased, they realized they were on to something.
So why grow up and open a restaurant?
Shahar: “Because our street became a drive-in complex for people who came to pick up the food and it really bothered the neighbors as well as our family, we worked from home, from the home kitchen. We couldn’t stand it, because there were so many orders.”
Ohad: “This was the point when we realized that we needed a place that would be close not only to our home, but also to our customers, so we looked for a location that would suit us, and that’s how we came to Yakin Center in Polg. As soon as we found the right place, we renovated, tasted, did tests and adjustments and that’s how we actually established Resets the ‘rapidus’, which was born because of our crunch rap dish.”
What is so special about this dish?
Shahar: “It’s something different. Crunch rap but with crazy additions like deconstructed asado, empanadas, nachos and other dishes that join this celebration of a concept dish that is new in this area of Mexican food. It’s true that there are similar things, but no one has taken the This dish is where we took it, in terms of quantities, flavors, tightness of the dish. And the reactions accordingly.”
5 Viewing the gallery
The dishes of “Rapidus”
(Photo: Abigail Uzi)
Why “Rapidus” and not a catchy Israeli name?
Shahar: “Rapidus is fast food. We were looking for a name that fits what we do, which is a fast tortilla. The idea of our place is actually to make this whole section of the wraps, tortillas and this food accessible. For some reason, this concept of Mexican restaurants has not succeeded here yet. I don’t I remember such a madness of tortillas like here. After all, this is not some ordinary tortilla that I serve with filling, but it has our part that sets it apart from the others. It is cool, innovative, original and crunchy.”
Weren’t you afraid of opening such a business without culinary training?
Ohad: “That’s why we did the pilot in Kfar Yona. That’s how we started and we saw that the product is good and people like it. In addition, before that we worked in other restaurants, we were bartenders, waiters, shift supervisors and we also worked in banquet halls.”
How were you received in Netanya, and even with a non-kosher place?
Shahar: “For us, it feels like we’re only growing and this is reflected in the number of deliveries and customers who come to our restaurant to eat. We have really crazy days like Thursday and Saturday when the restaurant is full and it’s the most fun in the world. Customers also come back to us. I think that’s why we’re not afraid to grow and we’ll leverage This thing is further. Apart from the fact that there is a population in Netanya that does look for what we offer, especially in our area in Kiryat Hasharon, Ir Yamim and Polg.”
5 Viewing the gallery
Shahar Meir and Ohad Faraj in “Rapidus”. “We are not afraid to grow”
(Photo: Abigail Uzi)
Ohad: “We knew who our audience was, a young audience that was hungry for something young. At noon we have the high-tech employees, which means that our restaurant is full from 12 noon until night. There is a crazy demand for what we serve. It is important to clarify that when we worked in restaurants in the area, we saw who the audience was And what he likes, so we came prepared for that. We aimed at a population that is looking for something new.”
As soon as you enter “Rapidus” you will forget that you are in Netanya. The restaurant is decorated like an American diner with red chairs, vintage items, records, pictures of Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley and Mexican characters. Rhythmic music is played in the background all day.
“We opened Rapidos after really looking for a place that would fit the vibe we want to convey, which is a young, light vibe, just like our dishes, and therefore our employees are energetic, smiling and welcoming, they are the ones who bring our customers into this section of a light restaurant,” Meir explains.
“We mobilized the family and the bank in order to open the restaurant. Of course, this did not happen immediately after the army, because then there was the corona virus, but we both saved money and came prepared for it. In addition, today you no longer need to invest millions to open a restaurant. If people know how to do a market survey and analyze the So the construction costs are not as grandiose as they used to be.”
5 Viewing the gallery
Crunch roll in a double-sided toaster
(Photo: Abigail Uzi)
What does the future hold for “Rapidus”?
Ohad: “We are looking for additional places to expand to. We have plans to continue expanding to South Sharon, Herzliya, Kfar Saba and Ra’anana. We plan to open another branch next year if everything goes as planned. Our goal is to become a Mexican-American chain.”
If you become a network, won’t you lose the uniqueness?
“We are not afraid to grow. We do see the reactions, demand and feedback and they only make us want to provide more people with this product.”
So what is the secret of the crunch roll? We tried to crack:
The crunch roll is a large tortilla topped with corn dough that separates the juicy meat from the vegetables and toppings of your choice, which goes through a double-sided toaster.
“We play with it in several versions, such as the Mexican one with strong and spicy flavors or the American version that includes corned beef or cheeses. The customer chooses the wrap he wants, while there is also a vegetarian option, and there are our colorful chips – the red one with paprika and the green one with herbs.”