List of My Best Dishes from 2019

It will be no surprise to those who follow this blog that my most visited restaurant in 2019 was Jacko’s Street, with Jacko’s Son and Meat Kitchen following closely behind. I have also had some wonderful meals in various restaurants around the country and here is a list of my top 12 best dishes 2019.

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1. Balagan from Akko Market @Lux 13 (Not Kosher), Haifa. A generous fillet of meagre (stone-bass) fish, served on a freekeh risotto, with spinach, green beans and black eggplant cream, yogurt and tahina. The plate looked like a painting and everything was delicious.
2. Beef Fillet @Gillis Steakhouse (Kosher), Moshav Nov, Golan. A visit to the Golan would not be complete without a meal at Gillis, which for me has to be the tastiest and juiciest fillet steak. Read a full review of Gillis Steakhouse.
3. Tournedos Rossini @Meat Kitchen (Kosher), Tel Aviv. The most decadent dish on the menu is beef fillet which is topped with seared goose liver,  Amarena cherry sauce and served with truffle purée. Every bite is a pure delight. I am so excited that Meat Kitchen has reopened and I cannot wait to check out the new location.
4. Kubala Bread with salted caramel butter @Dekel (Not Kosher), This was my first time for dinner at Dekel since it switched from being a bar to a restaurant. It has a nice and chilled vibe and the kubala bread (similar to kubaneh) with the salted caramel butter was delicious. I went back a few other times and loved this dish but the noise can make it hard to have a conversation.
5. Roasted Bone Marrow @Rooftop (Kosher), Mamilla Hotel. Bone marrow is a trendy dish in Israel right now, and I think this is the best version I have tried so far. The marrow was topped with almonds, herb salsa served with Cabernet sauce and toasted spelt bread. All of it worked together perfectly!
6. Veal Fillet @Valero (Kosher), Jerusalem. The two large medallions of veal fillet were served on a bed of truffle mash, with a Merlot reduction and bok choy. The fillet was cooked beautifully with a rich flavor and the addition of the rich truffle mash and sauce perfected the dish. However, we didn’t feel that the bok choy worked with the rest of the dish. It was a generous portion of 300g for NIS 152 which is a good price for that dish. Read a full review about Valero – a fun Jerusalem kosher dining experience.
7. Arabic Cucumber Salad @Yudale Bar (Not Kosher), I often see Arabic cucumber (Fakus) in the shuk, but never knew how to prepare it. The simple salad was served with tomato and spicy pita croutons, on a bed of labaneh. The Okra dish was also great.
8. Minute Steak @Malka by Eyal Shani (Kosher), Tel Aviv. Thin slices of juicy entrecote were served on a base of tahina, with tomato tartar and a hint of spice. The bread was also wonderfully crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
9. Fish Carpaccio @Jacko’s Son (Kosher), Jerusalem. The paper-thin red drum fish was topped with spicy nuts, pistachio schug, and wasabi vinaigrette. Not only was it beautifully presented but the flavors were so good, we nearly licked the bowl clean.
10. Sea Fish Tataki @Jacko’s Street (Kosher), Jerusalem. Everything about this dish works. The seared salmon, with the spicy Asian pistachio sauce, the acidity of the yuzu and the refreshing addition of cucumber caviar.
11. Salmon Sashimi with Wasabi Sorbet @Uri Buri (Not Kosher), Akko. I never thought that fish dishes could be so unique and interesting. Everything we had was delicious but the combination of the wasabi sorbet with the salmon was incredible.
12. Beef Fillet @West Side (Kosher), Royal Beach Tel Aviv. The Goose Liver Pate is rich and creamy with Amarena cherries and toasted brioche as the perfect accompaniment.

I had a few other meals in 2019 that are worth mentioning but didn’t qualify for the 12 best dishes 2019:

• Bone Marrow Frena @Delicatessen (Kosher), London. The bone marrow was cooked inside the bread roll so that some of it dripped down and soaked into the bottom of the bread. It was topped with whole fried chili and served with tahina & grated tomato.
• Cinnamon Babka @Atalya (Dairy Not Kosher), Ein Kerem. Every bite at the brunch was delicious but my favorite dish was the cinnamon babka which was crunchy and spicy. Read a full review of Atalya here, A Unique Friday Brunch Overlooking the Jerusalem Forest.
• Green Okra @Romano  (Not Kosher), Tel Aviv. My friends looked at me in shock as the taxi pulled up outside what looked like an abandoned building in South Tel Aviv. Luckily I knew what was hidden inside. All the food was delicious, but the rich okra in a tomato sauce, served with tahina, boiled egg and a huge chunk of challah, was incredible. We also loved the baby cauliflower and green beans. The eclectic decor and funky background music create a fun ambiance while still allowing friendly conversations.
• Sashimi Salad @Cafe Europa (Not Kosher), Tel Aviv. Served with pickled cauliflower, green leaves, spicy nuts, and an Asian dressing. It was a great combination of textures and flavors but I would have liked more fish. The Celery cocktail was an unusual gin cocktail with homemade celery syrup, which we loved.

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