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P.O. Box 1805,Jerusalem 91017 Tel. 972-2-531-5440, Fax: 972-2-537-9489 Advertising Fax: 972-2-531-5425, Email Editorial: [email protected] Subscriptions: [email protected] Web site: http://www.jrep.com |
Hail to the Queens!
Tina Silverman
(April 10, 2000) Buried amidst the garages, car dealers and seedy office buildings near Tel Aviv�s old Central Bus Station is a row of bustling upscale restaurants. You can choose between a Manhattan-style bistro, a Korean restaurant or a sushi bar, to name just a few. But Yad Harutzim Street is also the home of Artisanal, a patisserie and caf� which, without fanfare or fancy d�cor, serves up the most scrumptious, shamelessly rich, perfectly flaky pastries, pies and cakes I�ve ever tasted in Israel.
Pastry chef Assaf Levi and his business partner David Ochion opened the place less than a year ago. Patrons are already flocking from the most distant �burbs to pick up specialties. Restaurants and caf�s in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem (at Focaccia and Paradiso) have standing orders as well.
How about a perfectly airy puff pastry wrapped around a glazed pear nestling on a thin layer of marzipan? Or chocolate-mousse gateaux with cr�me br�l�e filling? Or unadulterated, off-the-chart-fat cheesecakes? Or "weekend cakes," classic bobka-style yeast pastries veined with deli-cately rich cocoa slipped in from Paris in friends� suitcases, or in equally uplifting cinnamon, walnut and raisin versions. And don�t forget to look over the classic fruit tarts and country-style breads. The selections are too many and too tempting to choose just one, so go there with about six people and share!
Artisanal also has a light meal menu to die for. A pie of roasted eggplant, red pepper, and layers of goat cheese, with a rich kalamata olive spread on a light pie pastry, melted in my mouth. The accompanying green salad was large and dressed just right. I�m going back to taste one of the quiches (the Roquefort-pecan, goat cheese-rosemary or smoked duck), tarts (of mixed meats, forest mushrooms and shallots), soups (carrot and ginger, potato and zucchini) or sandwiches (roast beef with roasted vegetables sounds delicious).
The service is friendly and efficient, and the prices are average by Tel Aviv standards. The food is way above.
Artisanal French Bakery and Caf� 15 Yad Harutzim , Tel AvivTel.: (03) 537-9641
Good Taste
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