Planet. Immediately next door is front in Old Jaffa is Babai-in-the-
Israel's first McDonald's — there Port, a simple restaurant which
are now half a dozen — where once served mezze (a variety of
the youngsters can enjoy the Mideast hors d'oeuvres), fresh-
same high-cholesterol junk food fried local fish and was consid-
and feel they're never left home. ered the best seafood restaurant
Neither McDonald's, which in the area. "Alas," bemoans
serves kosher meat, nor the Plan- Gault-Millau, "since it has be-
et, has kosher certification, what come fancified, the Bahai has had
with cheeseburgers and Satur- its ups and downs." Advice: Stick
day operation. But McDonald's, to the simpler dishes, gaze at the
which formerly rejected Israeli- fishing boats alongside and rel-
grown potatoes as "not up to Mc- ish what is still the best in town.
Donald's worldwide standard," Tel., (03) 681-8795.
Of Jerusalem's "big three," the
has introduced its own seeds to
Israeli farmers — who now sup- Ocean is considered the best. It
ply the chain with the appropri- is outrageously expensive, with
prices moon-high. This escalation
ate spuds, by the truckload.
McDovid's, a kosher lookalike, might be tolerable, were it not ac-
has been operating in Israel for companied by a major "attitude,"
years, long before the advent of reminiscent of the "beautiful peo-
ple," of the 1980s, when everyone
McDonald's in Israel.
"Divine," finally, is the opera- was casual and arrogant in one-
tive word, for a number of Tel of-a-kind Guccis. Nevertheless,
Aviv restaurants which feature the Ocean, set in an old house in
not only indigenous potatoes but the newly-gentrified Nahlat Shi-
a great variety of other grown-in- va neighborhood, serves seafood
Israel food products, from beef to and meat dishes prepared cre-
atively, elegantly and opulently,
broccoli.
Capot Tmarim (Bunches of and with "nouvelle Israel" flair.
The Ocean is casually chic, or
Grapes) is one of several highly
recommended establishments. chicly casual, attracting upper-
One of our experts describes bracket Israelis, tourists, celebri-
Capot as "truly great, perhaps ties and diplomats from all over.
the finest example of the 'nouvelle The maitre d' will inform you, dis-
Israeli' cuisine, with little of the creetly, that Warren Christopher
silliness." Owner/Chef Ofer Gal loves the Ocean — but, then, who
has transformed a classic wouldn't, when we taxpayers pick
Bauhaus building into one of Tel up his tab! 7 Rivlin St.; (02) 624-
Aviv's most glamorous and state- 7501.
Some experts consider the
ly restaurants: old tiles, spare
walls, splendid service, Armen- Taverna the most elegant and
ian pottery — and extraordinar- grandest of all Israeli restau-
ily creative food. It's quite rants. Service is a performance,
expensive and, all the critics with waiters simultaneously
agree, well worth the cost. 60 swooping open the copper-domed
Ahad Haam St.; tel.,(03) 566- platters to reveal their succulent
contents. One dines beside a cozy
3166.
Tapuach Zahav (the Golden fireplace, sips thick, after-dinner
Apple) is often considered Tel Turkish coffee and puffs linger-
Aviv's (and Israel's) "best." Its ingly on Havana cigars.
The Taverna is perched, like a
owner-chef-food critic, Israel Aha-
roni, has converted the living ski lodge, near the Hill of Evil
room of an art nouveau mansion Counsel (how's that for an ad-
into an elegant and delightful dress?), facing the Old City. Like
dining room. The service is mut- its location, the Taverna's cuisine
ed and attentive, and the food is tres haute, with touches of na-
view with Capot Trnarim as tru- tive herbs and spices. The Tav-
ly sensational. It's also expensive ern is vastly expensive, but
and, also, well worth it. 42 Mon- compared to the Ocean, the prices
are tres McDonald's.
tefiore St.; (03) 566-3486.
Third of Jerusalem's "big
Keren, along with Capot and
Tapuach, Tel Aviv's "big three," three" is the Eukaliptus, fast be-
is imbued with the special mag- coming a local institution, where
ic of history. It is located in an everybody meets everybody else.
enormous house known as the Owner/Chef Moshe Bassou spe-
"American Colony," in which ciali7es in Levantine, "Land of Is-
American pilgrims of the 19th rael" cuisine. It's truly the
century would stay before mak- nouvelle Israeli style, more than
ing their ascent over the rocky any other establishment. Chef
road to Jerusalem. The mansion Bassou uses a variety of herbs,
is now floodlit, displaying its tur- plants and vegetables which are
rets and terraces; one can eat ei- indigenous to the surrounding
ther indoors in polished-floored, Judean Hills and which his com-
spare-walled, postmodern sim- petitors use sparingly, if at all.
The dishes Chef Bassou cre-
plicity or on the spacious, wrap-
around verandas. The cuisine is ates are invariably excellent; ser-
perhaps the closest to French of vice is fast and friendly, but a
the "big three," and invariably su- good interior decorator could do
perb. Again, expensive; again, much to embellish the current-
worth it. 122 Eilat St., in Jaffa; ly tacky dining hall ambiance. 7
Harkness St.; (02) 624-4331.
(03) 518-1358.
Bon appetit!
Along the picturesque water-
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