By Harley Zipori. I recently had the pleasure of going out to a restaurant and eating an excellent meal. This doesn’t seem like it should be so difficult but in recent years I have been decidedly unenthusiastic about eating in restaurants where I find too much of the same-old same-old dishes, styles and tastes. Only one place still keeps me coming back and I’ll get to that later.
Oh yes, there is a connection to beer here.
The restaurant is Pomodoro in the Poleg Industrial Area in the southern part of Netanya. Pomodoro has been around for over a decade and as far as I know has had a few changes in management/concept/design/
This time I was pleasantly surprised at the two main courses my wife and I ordered. One was a veal scaloppini which true to its origins, was thinly sliced veal in a wine sauce, served with some asparagus lightly cooked on a grill. We also ordered the salmon and for the first time in my memory, the waiter asked how we wanted it done, as in rare, medium or well done. We chose medium and sure enough, the fish was nicely done on the outside and just a bit pinker on the inside. The fish sat on a mound of very tasty risotto. Both dishes were excellent. From what I understood, the new head chef, Guy Shalev, is also involved in the management and ownership of the restaurant and I highly recommend a visit there.
But what about the beer you ask. I’m getting to that.
We had a coupon for 2 glasses of wine with our meal so I didn’t even consider ordering beer but when we received the menus, there was a card clipped to the menu advertising 2 types of Bazelet Beer from the Golan Brewery; the amber ale and the double bock. Both beers are veteran products of the brewery and excellent choices. There are other Bazelet varieties but two is an excellent start.
So true to my conviction that restaurants that are not only putting Israeli boutique beer on the menu but featuring the local craft beer selection should be encouraged, I am heartily recommending visiting Pomodoro, supporting the new chef and the budding Israeli craft brew industry at the same time.
Pomodoro is more or less directly across the street from a food establishment that never disappoints me. Uzi Humus and Ful is the Poleg branch of the veteran humus shop of Uzi on Shaar Ha’Emek Street in Netanya. This new branch is run by his son and is every bit as good as the original. I always walk away from there with a smile on my face. Well actually that is not 100% true. One Friday last December I showed up just past 1 pm and they had finished the humus. No humus for me!!! There may not be a selection of Israeli craft beer but I think we can exempt humus restaurants from the requirement of selling boutique beers.
I know I diverged a bit from beer but I assure you that the subject is not forgotten and in the meantime, all of you out there should be asking for an Israeli boutique beer whenever you go to a restaurant or pub.
Cheers!
As usual, comments, complaints or rants can be sent to my blog mail [email protected].
