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{ESCAPE} Holy Land, Heavenly A culinary tour through ’s modern restaurants, neighborhood markets and ancient food traditions.

ou’ll never forget your first trip to dedicated to divine food than to sacred sites. Israel, especially if you keep a journal Regardless of your tourist desires, and even of your travel memories. That’s what without a travel journal, a vacation to Israel is I did in 1995 when, a few weeks not one you’ll soon forget. It’s easier than ever before my 13th birthday, I went there to get there now that has resumed its Ywith my family, to become a bar mitzvah atop nonstop Miami- route (from $1,000 Masada, the historic desert fortress. roundtrip). I’ll spare you the musings of 12-year- I brought that same journal with me when old me, but here’s a peek into my journal from I returned to Israel this summer, alternating our latest visit to help you plot an eating tour between reading the old passages and writing through the land of milk and . new ones. My unintelligible cursive then and now notwithstanding, what a difference 22 years makes. Those 1995 entries were filled with Seasonal dishes from Machneyuda in , above and wide-eyed impressions of history and religious left. The restaurant’s name is a play on Machane Yehuda, lessons come to life. The pages from the the giant outdoor market that it neighbors and where it

COURTESY (MACHNEYUDA) COURTESY recent trip with my wife have more words sources most of its ingredients.

miamiindulge.com | DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | INDULGE 2 the life

Clockwise from far left: The tray at Manta Ray in Tel Aviv; shakshuka in a -lined bowl at Shlomo and Doron near Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market; and blends at Carmel Market; a wine-and- chocolate pairing at Tishbi; at a Druze village in Mount Carmel.

meze selections and super-fresh fish. From a serving tray with a dozen options, we picked cold with Italian , charred octopus with white beans, and roasted okra with to accompany local sea bream, the whole-roasted catch of the day. We toured the Carmel Market with Inbal Baum, a U.S. expat and former attorney who runs the culinary company Delicious Israel (deliciousisrael.com). She led us to the city’s Yemenite quarter, on the outskirts of the market, and to Shlomo & Doron (facebook.com/ shlomodoronhumus). Making hummus since 1937, Shlomo & Doron gets everything right, from slightly warm, impossibly smooth chickpea dip to fluffy, pillowy to swipe it up. It’s also one of the few spots to find an unorthodox but otherworldly combination of shakshuka served in a hummus- lined bowl — creamy, acidic and brilliant. Global food halls have found their way to Israel, and two of the newest are in Tel Aviv. Rothschild Allenby Market (rmarket.co.il) and Sarona Market (saronamarket.co.il) attract young, in-the-know eaters who come to nosh TEL AVIV on everything from Japanese ramen to South Israeli soldiers are after-lunch cigarettes African to Georgian breads. and international Birthright students are mingling North of Tel Aviv, near the foot of Mount outside North Abraxas (no website) when we Carmel, the family-run Tishbi Winery (tishbi.com) arrive for a snack. A U-shaped bar looks into an pairs wine flights with high-end Valrhona open kitchen, and cooks periodically light bowlfuls chocolates. Behind the tasting room, an on- of sage on fire to refresh the air. Chef Eyal Shani site bakery pulls warm raisin and lush is credited with igniting a global cauliflower craze, from a wood-fired oven, and — and his original version here — roasted whole, its on Fridays before sundown — a food truck charred and head scattered with sea salt parked out back the best — is simple, straightforward at its finest. I’ve tasted outside St. Louis. Ditto an appetizer of Jericho green beans, At a Druze village (el-carmel.co.il) atop snappingly fresh under a light sheen of lemon Mount Carmel, a guide explained the ancient juice and . faith and its traditions over a table-bending Restaurateur Ofra Ganor’s beachside flagship, feast of pilaf, stuffed grape leaves, lamb Manta Ray (mantaray.co.il), draws locals and , roasted , , tea and

visitors alike. They come for her wildly varied spiced coffee. (TISHBI) COURTESY

3 INDULGE | DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | miamiindulge.com the life

In Acre, the Efendi Boutique features 12 posh guest rooms in a refurbished Ottoman palace; sweet pastries at an open-air market near the hotel; Uri Jeremias, owner of the Efendi and Uri Buri seafood restaurant; a spread at Uri Buri, including salmon with wasabi sorbet. SIVAN ASKAYO (URI BURI) ASKAYO SIVAN

ACRE JERUSALEM Chef, restaurateur and hotelier Uri Jeremias has Machane Yehuda Market (en.machne.co.il) put the peaceful port city of Acre (also spelled is the beating heart of Jerusalem’s culinary Akko) in northern Israel on the world’s culinary soul. More than 250 stalls hawking everything map. His long-running Uri Buri (2eat.co.il/eng/ from and to halvah and uriburi) — TripAdvisor’s No. 1 restaurant in the come together in a maze of activity that Middle East — is located just down the street from crescendos on Fridays as shoppers prepare the Efendi Boutique Hotel (efendi-hotel.com). for the sabbath. Jeremias opened the 12-room Efendi five years Merav Oren, whose Open Restaurants ago in a refurbished Ottoman palace that melds (open-restaurants.co.il) connects food lovers historic elements like a Crusader-era wine cellar with chefs through workshops, cooking and original ceiling frescos with modern luxuries. demonstrations, panel talks and tours, led us The Efendi’s rooftop is a prime perch to take through the market, coaxing choice samples — in a Mediterranean sunset before strolling over to , dried nuts, herbal juices, Turkish meatballs Uri Buri. A tasting menu shows off house favorites — from her favorite vendors. — thinly sliced salmon with wasabi sorbet is At night, the produce stands close their classic — as well as whatever’s outrageously shutters — revealing colorful commissioned fresh that day. For us, that was raw anchovies graffiti art — and the craft bars, cocktail brined in seawater, pan-seared with joints and late-night food kiosks come alive. seaweed and a touch of cream, and shrimp with Machane Yehuda is the birthplace of the artichokes and a squeeze of lemon. Jerusalem , a street food for the brave: We retired to the Efendi for a restful sleep griddled bits of cumin-seasoned chicken hearts, in superb linens, only to wake up to more food. livers, and peppers stuffed in a pita. I Shakshuka, rich jams, freshly squeezed juices, liberally splashed mine with , a pickled housemade lebneh and warm breads are mango hot sauce, and felt like I’d won fortification for a day of touring or traveling. the night.

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The ideally situated David Citadel Hotel (thedavidcitadel.com) is steps from The Eucalyptus (the-eucalyptus.com), just outside the Jaffa Gate to the Old City. Chef-owner Moshe Basson cooks new-school takes on decidedly Bahá'í old-school . Known as Israel’s Biblical Gardens Chef, Basson builds his Eucalyptus menu on wild herbs, native ingredients and ancient recipes. Figs filled with minced chicken, and slow-cooked BEYOND FOOD Cultural explorations in Israel lamb neck with root under a dome of Maskit. A former Alexander McQueen designer Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Temple Mount baked dough, were highlights of the family-style has revived this Israeli luxury fashion house, which and Dome of the Rock. A bustling market spans Queen of Sheba tasting menu. runs a showroom in the Old Jaffa area of Tel Aviv. the Old City’s Muslim and Christian quarters. It’s a taxi ride from the hotel to Mona maskit.com. (monarest.co.il), where rustic comforts like Tower of David Museum. The 45-minute Night polenta with mushrooms and chicken livers with Israel Museum. The national museum in Jerusalem Spectacular, a light and sound show projected date honey are elevated to fine dining. We popped showcases multidisciplinary works from Israeli onto the Tower’s excavated walls, tells the story of into the Mamilla Hotel’s (mamillahotel.com) and international artists. Showing through early Jerusalem. tod.org.il. rooftop bar for a nightcap overlooking the Old City March: Dan Reisinger's graphic and innovative In before returning to the David Citadel next door. Full Color and Ai Weiwei’s Maybe, Maybe Not, the Bahá'í Gardens. The Bahá’í faith’s World Centre A proper Israeli culinary tour should wrap artist’s first time showing in Israel. imj.org. is located in Haifa, just outside Acre, and is home at Machneyuda (machneyuda.co.il). Situated to spectacularly manicured terraced gardens. just outside the market (“machneyuda” is the Women and Tales in Jerusalem Project. Local ganbahai.org.il. locals’ nickname for Machane Yehuda), chef women from varied backgrounds invite visitors Uri Navon and his crew showcase modern into their homes to learn about their cultures and Caesarea National Park. The ancient port creativity and classic techniques through locally traditions, sharing homemade food and personal town midway between Tel Aviv and Haifa — sourced ingredients and dishes that are shaped stories. info.goisrael.com. full of affluent neighborhoods and an by the area’s history. international golf course — displays archeological We plowed through nearly the entire menu Old City. Home to some of Jerusalem’s most finds and hosts shows at its Roman theater. while overlooking the action from the kitchen religiously significant sites, including the Western parks.org.il. —EB counter. Navon and his crew sent us off with a piece of seared foie gras — an unusual Western Wall appearance on a dessert course — atop his mom’s semolina honey cake with a spoonful of wild coulis. A sweet end — and a reminder not to wait 22 years before coming back. WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN S. BENN

A vendor holds samples of halvah at Machane Yehuda Market, Women and Tales in top, and a savory-sweet dish of foie gras on honey cake at Jerusalem Project

Machneyuda restaurant, above. BAHÁ'Í (GARDENS)

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