Maison Kayser opens its first restaurant-bar in the planet in Tel Aviv

The new bistro is located adjacent to the Maison Kaiser boulangerie-pâtisserie at the commencing of Rothschild Boulevard (corner of Herzl St.), in the premises that had beforehand housed both equally Da Da & Da and Bar a Vin. The restaurant’s tiny, spherical tables extend out into a spacious plaza, supplying the sense of a regular French outside café.

The Parisian décor dominates indoors as nicely, exactly where there is a bar and two seating places (one in a rear patio). Incorporating to the problem of fitting equally evening meal-sized plates and beverages on the miniscule tables is coping with the quite dim lighting when attempting to browse the menus. 

While we experienced spoken only English when we checked in with the hostess, we had been rapidly handed only Hebrew menus – anything we noticed only following we have been seated and then left on your own to wait around (and wait around) for another person to show up at to us. When we lastly did get a possibility to request an English menu, we been given one particular that was in fact in Latin people, but in a odd mishmash of French and English that is destined to go away speakers of each languages at times dazed and puzzled. 

The huge fold-out menu combines meals and drink, with a cocktail listing comprising six specialty cocktails (NIS 34-46) and 3 classics (NIS 38-9). However, menu chaos reigns below as properly, as the inaccuracies and inconsistencies among the Hebrew and English variations baffled even our waitress. 

The meals menu, in the meantime, is composed of only two significant sections, Initial Courses (NIS 36-88) and Most important Programs (NIS 94-178), wherever translation issues and omissions proceed. Incorporated between the primary courses are Facet Dishes (NIS 24) and (stated individually but untitled) pasta dishes (NIS 78-94).

The entrées offered tough selections amongst traditional French starters – this sort of as pâté and onion soup (the lone soup, outlined somewhat aside from all the relaxation) – and other folks reflecting local delicacies. Ultimately, we settled on the Ceviche and the Grilled, Peppered Hanger Steak. 

The former, as I experienced suspected, was not truly ceviche, but relatively sufferer to the banal Israeli practice of attaching the label “ceviche” to whatsoever is a uncooked fish starter that is not tartare or Asian. Indeed, it was essentially a tartare wherein the fish had not been chopped but relatively lower into small morsels, then served atop a bed of burnt eggplant product, onion, cilantro, chili, olive oil, lemon and pistachio. Though it was not to my liking, my companion beloved this dish. 

The latter appetizer was a key surprise, as it was served at home temperature and not scorching, as the title recommended. In essence, it was a sort of beef carpaccio: pretty skinny slices of recently grilled steak, seasoned with black pepper, olive oil and lemon, sprinkled with arugula leaves, and topped with ribbons of Reggiano cheese. The even more substantial surprise, having said that, was how delicious it was: what ever they chose to name it, it was superb. 

One of the highlights of this program is a full baguette, served in a paper bag, with comfortable European butter and coarse grey sea salt. Splendidly crusty and fresh new, it was challenging to cease consuming it, even just after our plates had been wiped thoroughly clean. 

Though there were not a lot key programs, there was a affordable balance in between poultry, meat and fish. This time we started with a French mainstay: Steak au Poivre, with asparagus and gratin dauphinois. Every a single of the components of this dish rated total marks: the succulent steak was grilled perfectly, the buttery pepper sauce was saved heat in a mini copper saucepan on the plate, the asparagus was al dente – and all the even though, the cheesy, creamy layers of potatoes au gratin threatened to steal the present. 

Only soon after we experienced concluded this dish did we understand that the facet dish we experienced purchased under no circumstances arrived. When we pointed this out to the waitress, she experimented with to convince us that the 4 spears of asparagus on our plate ended up really the aspect dish of assorted grilled environmentally friendly vegetables whose ordered experienced been confirmed. When they at last arrived, the varied vegetables were outstanding, if remarkably seasoned.

Our selection from amid the pastas was the Gnocchi Marinière, which turned out to have the most significant discrepancy amongst the English and Hebrew menus. As a result, when we purchased what we believed was potato pasta in a sauce flecked with chunks of fish, we had been shocked when a plate of gnocchi arrived smothered by a enormous fillet of drumfish. Only by referring to the Hebrew menu does 1 get not only the clarification, but the shock that there is a NIS 55 distinction in the cost.  

No matter, although the gnocchi themselves were being not optimum in texture – very small, dense and rather chewy – they have been nevertheless extremely tasty, and drenched in a mild still sophisticated and flavorful sauce of fish stock, asparagus, broccolini, lemon zest, parsley and Reggiano.  

There is no dessert menu somewhat it is the position of a person waitress – and not the sole member of the hold out workers who appeared to know English – to declaim the 4 selections of the night. She recommended the lemon pie, apparently a house specialty. In point, it was as memorable for its look as its great taste: deconstructed dollops of lemon cream speared with vertical pastry and interspersed with kisses of soft meringue, shards of crisp meringue and cubes of sponge cake. 

Lastly, whilst crème brûlée is commonplace in Israeli eating places, we had to flavor the version in these types of a highly acclaimed, genuine put. Without a doubt, the sweet vanilla product topped with the beautifully scorched sugar crust, was a lower above the local norm.

In sum, people diners with the endurance to deal with flawed services will be rewarded with a divine food. Or, one may perhaps pick to wait around for the brand name-new establishment to defeat its increasing pains, come across its footing, and convey the assistance to the degree of the food stuff. 

Maison Kayser Cafe & Bar. 

Not kosher. 

7 Rothschild Blvd., Tel Aviv. Tel. (03) 504-0567. 

The author was a guest of the cafe.