Is it possible that the wine berry trend is starting to show signs of decline? This week we told about Cocktail bar, coffee shop andSaban Ilvan And not about one wine bar (okay, Wine salon, but it’s not the same). Continuing the trend, get a new place that is not exactly a bar and not exactly a chef’s restaurant, but it has the right vibe and everything we like and also what we didn’t know we wanted to eat. Hint: meat sushi.
Rouge – and yes, the name alludes to a wine bar – is the little brother of Trigger & Wayne, The boutique steak house that opened almost a year ago on the ruins of David and Yosef. What we didn’t know is that all the while the partners Sagi Triger, Uri Raz, Itai Biton, Nadav Ramot and Han Yaish were working on renovating the basement. “We wanted to do something different in a category that doesn’t really exist. A fun place to hang out and in terms of food is at the level of a chef’s restaurant. And of course the meat is the main thing because that’s our specialty,” they say.
New category. Rouge (photo by Shay Ashkenazi)
At first glance, Rouge could be anywhere in classical Europe. A staircase that leads to the basement and heavy velvet curtains that screen the entrance lead to a small and intimate space: a bar around which about 20 people can sit at any given moment, two standing tables and two alcoves with a romantic double table, and that’s it. A DJ station that broadcasts an oriental beat is located at the end of the bar, and on the small floor area behind it, Trigger and Nissan Elhassov, a graduate of the Cordon Bleu and for four years also Mantantan restaurant chef.
In Israel, Japanese cuisine is mainly associated with fish, but under the influence of Elkhasov, the meats received an interesting Japanese twist. The small display case at the front of the bar also testifies to this – only instead of tuna and salmon, it shines with special pieces that Triger chooses every day. With a razor-sharp sushi knife, Alhassov slices the meat and prepares complex bite-size dishes from it, for example the Maori – confit yolk in cow fat and tambara, thin muscle from the cow’s belly that is ground into a powder with a strong umami flavor (NIS 56), Dunbar nigiri aged 60 days with tare sourdough and yuzu kosho ( 59 NIS), and pretzel tartar with Japanese mayonnaise and hollandaise (49 NIS).
For those who still insist on a steak in the restaurant style above, a dish of aged chunks alternates with a velvety mashed potato, which in our eyes gives a fit worthy of Robuchon mashed potatoes (NIS 149). Although meat is the main thing, it is very worthwhile to pay attention to the vegetarian dishes on the menu: miso pumpkin – a whole dish Japanese aesthetics from pumpkins with different preparation methods (54 NIS) and tomato conkesa – red and yellow cherry tomatoes in caramel and allspice that bring out the juice and sweetness from each tomato (56 NIS).
Japanese aesthetics. Rouge (photo by Shay Ashkenazi)
Another detail that sets Rouge apart and contributes to the classic appearance is the wall of alcohol bottles, the vast majority of which are brown – whiskey, cognac and rum, including special bottles such as Glenmorangie with cocoa aroma. If you believe in astrology, you can choose a drink that suits your luck from a list of sophisticated cocktails: for Leos, Ishashaku Woodford Reserve whiskey with Mandarin Napoleon citrus liqueur, espresso, cream and dark chocolate, and for Geminis, Henry Monier XO, Cointreau cloves and cardamom, and Campari and bitters. The price reflects the ingredients, NIS 64-76 per glass. On the wine menu you will find sparkling, rosé, whites, reds and oranges from unusual wineries, for example the Israeli Zaza Winery. Each wine is described at eye level and not just in terms of astringency and tannins, a welcome trend that we have already encountered in several places in the city
Showcase of carefully selected pieces (photo by Shai Ashkenazi)
Against the background of the wine berry trend, and sorry to discuss this again, Rouge is a strange chicken (strange cow?) in the best sense of the word. The food and alcohol menus, the tools and techniques, the sexy atmosphere, the music and the service combine in a harmony that indicates attention to every detail. Prepare yourselves to be surprised and especially for bites of meat like no other place in the city.
Montefiore 21, Sunday-Thursday 19:30-00:00, for orders: WhatsApp to 0549899897