Katzir: Inspired food and seafront dining in Tel Aviv - review
'The whole point of Katzir is to offer fine dining using Israel produce which pays tribute to Jewish tradition, culture, and heritage,' says Katzir chef.
To go from flipping burgers to being the chef in a top Tel Aviv restaurant situated in a new and very glamorous hotel sounds a bit like a fairy tale – and in a way it is.
Daniel Raymond, whose Dudes restaurant in Netanya has been featured several times in this column, is the chef of Katzir restaurant in The David Kempinski hotel on the Tel Aviv seafront.
He came out of the kitchen to greet us and, more importantly, to explain the concept of the restaurant.
“The whole point of Katzir is to offer fine dining using Israel produce which pays tribute to Jewish tradition, culture, and heritage,” he said in his London accent, explained by the fact that his family made aliyah when he was 11. “Ninety-nine percent of our ingredients are locally produced,” he said.
Enjoying the food at Katzir
The first food to appear at our table was a fresh sourdough loaf topped with sage and coriander seeds beside a small dish of two very piquant pastes side by side – hilbe, representing Sephardi Jewry; and chrein, representing Ashkenazim. A small dish of jam made from Kiddush wine also arrived.
More symbolic food appeared in the form of fermented pumpkin and turnip flavored with cinnamon and turmeric, representing the harvest. Taste-wise, they were certainly something new and different.
The “beef butter” on the side was a variation of what used to be ubiquitous in Jewish kitchens – schmaltz (chicken fat), but which has long disappeared for health reasons.
The next dish was a delicious version of pastrami made from beef tongue and served with mustard sauce containing Judean herbs like za’atar (NIS 38).
The fish course came next – a fillet of amberjack, a meaty sea fish garnished with candied etrog. On the menu, this dish is priced at NIS 64/NIS 98.
Next up was a really unusual dish – pepper salad served on what looked like croutons but were, in fact, eggplant slices with anchovies. An explosion of flavors.
A tomato salad on the side was also extra good. Raymond explained that they are grown in the Arava near the Dead Sea, which produces extra-tasty tomatoes.
Unbelievably, we tasted two more dishes before we got to our mains: fried sea bass on pasta with artichoke hearts (NIS 186); and bangers and mash – a British staple (NIS 132). Both were exceptional.
Finally, we got to the main course: steak with a large mushroom and liver mousse with truffles.
This was not any old steak but Wagyu beef (NIS 468), a Japanese steak considered one of the best steaks in the universe for its marbling and flavor. Yes, it was very good.
Finally, skewers of sweetbreads on a bed of tehina made from almonds, not sesame seeds, brought to an end the savory part of this extraordinary meal.
We sampled two desserts: a chocolate cake on a custard sauce, and a caramelized apple pie in light-as-feather pastry. They made for a sweet ending, and we found them refreshing after all the protein.
The accompanying wine was Sauvignon Blanc from the Golan, which was medium-bodied and went well with everything.
Two people were singled out for special praise: Rotem, the manager – “She’s my right and left hand” said the chef; and Tomer (an anagram of Rotem), the wine manager.
Altogether, it was an unforgettable evening of great food in a lovely atmosphere.
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.
- Katzir
- The David Kempinski hotel
- 51 Hayarkon St.
- Tel AvivTel: 074-766-2710
- Sun.-Thurs., 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. The dining room is open separately for breakfast.
- Kashrut: Tel Aviv Rabbinate
