Needless to say, this difficult period has been extremely challenging for the country’s restaurant sector. But it has also been a time when chefs and eateries have emerged as unsung heroes, volunteering tirelessly to cook for and feed thousands of soldiers and displaced civilians.
Two recent annual events in Tel Aviv (both delayed from 2023 because of the war) – the American Express Israeli Culinary Excellence Awards and the national Restaurateurs’ Conference – paid special tribute to those who made exceptional contributions to society and the IDF in these troubling times.
These first-time volunteerism awards were in addition to the traditional recognition given every year in established categories – for example, see the most recent previous American Express winners here. The awards ceremony is the culmination of the annual AMEX Israeli Cuisine Month, held in abbreviated fashion this year, for obvious reasons.
Perhaps not surprisingly, it was HaAchim Group that swept the volunteerism awards, winning the top honor in this category from both American Express and the Restaurateurs’ Conference. Chef Assaf Doctor and his brother Yotam – co-owners of the three-restaurant group HaAchim, Abie and Doc – basically mobilized their kitchens from day one into a culinary “war room,” working round the clock to churn out thousands of meals over recent months.
The example they set was quickly followed by colleagues, to the point where the American Express Festival organizers decided to hand out sister awards to a slew of other chefs and restaurants who distinguished themselves on the volunteerism front. In the end, by the time all the award certificates were handed out – a total of 19 in all – most of the stage was taken up by the worthy recipients (pictured above).
A related award, recognizing the Best Enterprise, was bestowed on the organization Me’adama L’adam (From Earth to Man), which was established with the goal of maximizing the efficiency of the distribution of agricultural produce in times of emergency.
According to AMEX Israeli Culinary Excellence Awards organizers, there was some soul-searching involved with regard to holding the ceremony this year, but they felt it was appropriate as long as restaurants are open and contributing to the war effort by feeding soldiers, reservists, and evacuees.
“We view this less as a competition and more as an opportunity to express appreciation,” said David Kichka, one of the festival co-founders. “It is also an occasion to recognize that cuisine is a pillar of culture, alongside music, opera, dance, cinema and art.”
The volunteerism awards segment of the ceremony climaxed an evening during which the traditional awards in all the usual categories recognized the most outstanding culinary achievements of the past – and previous – years. The following list itemizes the major winners, beginning with a section of mini-reviews of the restaurants that walked away with the most prestigious honors: Best Restaurant, Best New Restaurant and Best Kosher Restaurant.
A bonus review features the winner of the most important honorific conveyed by the Restaurateurs’ Conference – a venerable restaurant that has earned the distinction of being considered an “institution.” (The AMEX awards also include a category recognizing a culinary institution.)
George and John – best restaurant
Ambiance: This elegant restaurant – which has won international acclaim for three years in a row as one of the 50 Best restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa, and is now affiliated with the elite international Relais & Châteaux chain – occupies the ground floor of one wing of the beautifully restored boutique Drisco Hotel, in Tel Aviv’s American Colony neighborhood.
The posh decor radiates old-fashioned glamor, complete with white tablecloths. In addition to indoor seating at various-sized tables and the long bar, there is limited al fresco seating on a meticulously landscaped side patio (although outdoor service may not be available at all hours).
Drinks: As befits a fine dining restaurant of this caliber, there is an extensive international wine list, curated by a dedicated sommelier, who will offer generous tastings and recommend pairing suggestions. (The number of vintages available by the glass is significantly smaller than those sold by the bottle.) In addition, five specialty cocktails – as well as the classics – are mixed at the fully stocked bar; and there is a small selection of imported and domestic beer.
Menu: The menu is characterized by fresh, seasonal fare made from locally sourced ingredients. The bilingual dinner menu comprises three untitled sections, progressing from small plates to intermediate dishes to main courses. Moreover, there are three dinner formats to choose from: à la carte, a prix fixe menu for two, or a tasting menu built by your server. The separate dessert menu consists of five desserts created by a dedicated pastry chef. There are plenty of gluten-free dishes and fewer vegetarian/vegan options.
Recommended: Celery refresher (cocktail); the homemade bread basket with dips; raw sea fish on the bone with Israeli caviar, steamed and smoked Japanese white sweet potato, cured and smoked mackerel, roasted red snapper with string fried potatoes; slow-cooked lamb spareribs (main course); blood orange tiramisu (dessert).
George and John at The Drisco Hotel. Not kosher. 6 Auerbach St 6, Tel Aviv. Tel. (03) 726-9309.
Treysar — Best new restaurant
Ambiance: Located in the former premises of Kitchen Market in Namal Tel Aviv, Treysar has two indoor dining areas, one overlooking the sea, the port and the boardwalk, and the second overlooking the vegetable market. There are also a few seats at the bars and at the counter in front of the open kitchen. When the restaurant fills up, and/or the volume of the rhythmic music increases, the place becomes a bit noisy for quiet conversation.
Drinks: The mixologist has created five specialty cocktails, all made with Israeli spirits. Likewise, the wine list features primarily Israeli vintages, with a few selections from the Mediterranean basin and Europe (only a limited number are available by the glass). In a similar vein, there are three lesser known craft Israeli beers.
Menu: Treysar is the second AMEX-winning restaurant by Chef Aner Ben Rafael Furman in this same category in the last three years: he won previously for his informal restaurant Alter, as described in our roundup of winners at the time.
The entire menu is built around very fresh and mostly organic produce, with everything else also locally sourced. The bilingual dinner menu comprises four untitled sections, organized roughly from smaller to larger dishes; the first two sections are vegetarian, followed by fish/seafood and finally meat (although no poultry or pork).
There are ample gluten-free options. A separate dessert menu features five desserts prepared by a dedicated pastry chef. Waiters will happily build a meal for you with representative dishes from each of the menu sections.
Recommended: Sea fish tartare, tomato panna cotta, grilled calamari, green beans with smoked labane, white sweet potato; sweetbreads with semolina pici pasta; lemon and almond tart.
Treysar. Not kosher. Hangar 12, Namal Tel Aviv. Tel. (074) 758-5353.
Jacko’s Street – Best kosher restaurant
Ambiance: Just off Machaneh Yehuda market, this popular restaurant has had to move and expand several times in order to keep up with demand. The current premises comprise an older and newer seating section, with seating at tables, banquettes, the bar and in front of the open kitchen. Comfortable leather chairs surround handsome metal or wood tables. Rather unusually, the soundtrack is Israeli contemporary and Mizrahi music, played at an acceptable decibel level.
Drinks: There are no fewer than seven very distinctive specialty cocktails, alongside a more than adequate wine list, organized rather differently: vintages are characterized by their origin – individual wineries and region in Israel – rather than by color. Some wines are available by the glass. There are also domestic and imported beers, on tap and in bottles.
Menu: The one-page menu reflects the Kurdish roots of Chef Zakai Huja, who trained in some of the best kosher restaurants in Jerusalem and feels very much at home in the market, where his father was a fishmonger. Accordingly, he was a pioneer in introducing raw fish dishes to a traditionally conservative kashrut-observant clientele. The one-page dinner menu comprises three sections (not counting the bread starter): Entrées, Main Courses and [three] Desserts. There are more gluten-free than vegetarian/vegan options.
Recommended: Guy som (cocktail); the house sourdough bread with dips; cabbage skewer, red tuna fricassee, sea fish carpaccio, sofrito raviolo, Aviezer’s kebab; filet mignon with caramelized onion “yaprah”; honey-zaatar tart with [pareve] almond ice cream.
Jacko’s Street. Kosher. 74 Agripas St., Tel Aviv. Tel. (02) 581-7178
Thai House — Culinary Institution (awarded by the Restaurateurs’ Conference)
Ambiance: This pioneering Asian restaurant, founded last century by Chef Yariv Malili and his Thai wife Lek, has been a fixture at the strategic corner of Bograshov and Ben Yehudah Streets since 1996. There are two indoor seating areas: one with windows and seating at tables and the bar, the other a larger interior room with a more Southeast Asian decor.
There is al fresco seating (enclosed in winter) along the sidewalks that wrap around the corner. When the restaurant fills up, the acoustics are such that the space can become a bit noisy. There is also a private room with its own name – Khua Khun Lek – that is a venue for special tasting events.
Drinks: There are seven Asian-inspired specialty cocktails, plus a sake (Japanese rice wine) menu. The international wine list is organized by playfully titled sections describing the red, white, rosé and bubbly vintages (wines available by the glass are listed separately). Finally, there is an intriguing selection of beers (arguably a better choice than wine to accompany Asian food): a house pale ale brewed in collaboration with the Israeli craft brewery Alexander, plus imported craft beers and one Thai lager on tap (Chang).
Menu: The extensive dinner menu comprises no fewer than 10 sections, plus a separate dessert menu. There are even separate vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free categories. Dishes are further characterized by a level of spiciness, as indicated by 0-3 chili pepper icons. Waiters will happily suggest assembling a tasting menu, consisting primarily of small dishes to share.
Recommended: Tuk-tuk driver (cocktail); pahk bong moo krop; yam pla khem, yam som-o, yam pla heng, goong khathiam; moo yang; gaeng kiao waan; coconut popsicle (dessert).
Thai House. Not kosher. 8 Bograshov St., Tel Aviv. Tel. (03) 517-8568
The other winners of the 2024 American Express Israeli Culinary Excellence Awards are:
Lifetime Achievement Award: Ruth Sirkis, the pioneering cookbook author whose best-selling From the Kitchen with Love has been a fixture in Israeli kitchens for 50 years. She has written 20 books and sold more than a million copies. (Note: the original name of the award in Hebrew is for “extraordinary inspiration”.)
Best Chef: Assaf Doctor, HaAchim Group.
Most Promising Chef: Shalom Simha Albert. In charge of research and development, as well as sustainability, for Chef Raz Rahav’s award-winning Jaffa restaurant OCD and its subsidiary Tene.
Best Casual Dining Restaurant: Bar 51, Tel Aviv.
Best Street Food: Emil Shawarma, Haifa.
Restaurant with the Best Wine List: HaBasta, Tel Aviv. (Sommelier Aviram Katz).
Culinary Institution: Azoura, Jerusalem
Best Bakery: Hagai and Bread, Tel Aviv.
Artisanal Excellence: HaMe’iri cheeses, Safed.
Best Agricultural Produce: Havvivian, Moshav Hodaya.
High-tech Innovation: Karat Caviar, Kibbutz Dan.
Documentation: Sefer HaTaboon (stone oven cookbook), Assaf Gruper and Haim Yosef.
Social Media: Rotem Lieberson, food and recipe blogger.