Where to Eat Israeli Food in London – The Palomar

Having just spent two weeks discovering the wonderful food scenes of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem (see reviews here and here) as part of the 2016 Vibe Israel Food Tour, I was curious to discover whether some of those foodie experiences could also be found right here in the heart of London.

And so I recently headed to The Palomar, and my findings are written up below. If you would like to read more about my Israeli features including Eyal Shani’s recipe for Burnt Cauliflower, click here.

Name: The Palomar

Where: 34 Rupert Street, London W1 6DN, http://thepalomar.co.uk/

Cost: Average cost per person is £40, not including drinks. The raw bar offers cold starters including oysters, salmon and beef tartare from £8 to £16.50, while hot dishes range from £9.50 to £25. The recommendation is to order two to three dishes per person. 

About: The Palomar is the London outpost of a popular Israeli group of restaurants that owns the fabulous Machneyuda Restaurant in Jerusalem (see my review here). It serves the food of modern Jerusalem, with influences of Spain and North Africa.

Next to Chinatown just south of Shaftesbury Avenue, The Palomar  is a manically busy restaurant with two seating areas. At the zinc-topped bar overlooking the open-plan kitchen is a 16-seat counter where you can book from 5.30pm each day.

There is also a quieter 40-seat room towards the back of the restaurant with beautiful parquet floors, dark oak-paneled walls and blue leather banquettes, for which advanced bookings can be made.

We sat at the kitchen counter (which I thoroughly recommend), and had a brilliant time watching the chefs at work and talking to them as they plated.

The Palomar is a busy restaurant and noise levels are high, but it is fun and casual and the atmosphere resonated with what I had experienced in Israel. On our evening there, the head chef was Eyal 'Shpitz' Jagerman (son of the owner), and our server was Olga; service was super-friendly and informative.

What We Ate: We started with a crispy falafel (£4) of octopus and cod served with a rich and well-flavoured tahini and ambah. Ambah is a magnificent sauce that is hot, sour and sweet all at once, made from vinegared mangoes, turmeric, chili and other spices. I tried Ambah in Nazareth, Israel, where it is used as a spicy sauce for fish dishes, falafel, kubbah, kebabs and eggs.

The beetroot carpaccio from the raw bar (£8) took me straight back to Jerusalem, with its gorgeous presentation and layered combination of vegetarian textures and flavours. With burnt goat's cheese, hazelnut brittle, lentil tuile and a pomegranate molasses vinaigrette, this was a winner of a dish.

I was happy to see an entire section of the menu dedicated to their Josper grill – from it, we chose the aubergine (£9.50) - with smoky aromas and flavours, a creamy feta emulsion, tomatoes, fresh oregano, crispy shallots and pine nuts, aubergines do not get much better than this!

To accompany, we ordered Machneyuda’s signature polenta Jerusalem style (£9.50) - served with crunchy asparagus, a rich mushroom ragout, Parmesan and truffle oil, this was as good as I remember from their restaurant in Jerusalem where we tried this for the first time.

Octo-hummus (£13) partnered Josperised octopus with chickpea Msabacha (similar to hummus but with coarser pieces or sometimes whole chickpeas), cherry tomato confit and a zingy salsa verde of parsley, chilli and coriander. The octopus had a deliciously charred flavour while still remaining very soft and tender, lifted by the ultra-fresh herb dressing.

The Jerusalem mix (£15) came with chicken livers and hearts, veal sweetbreads a la plancha, okra, tomato, grilled onions and tahini – I was told to try this while in Jerusalem but didn’t manage to at the time. This was a lighter offal version than what is on offer in Jerusalem (with tongue, tripe etc) but delicious nevertheless – the offal was well cooked, I loved the creamy sweetbreads, and the grilled onions made the dish sing.

For dessert, we had the Jerusalem Mess (£7) – a gorgeous pudding with a number of ingredients including labneh mousse (soft cheese), almond crumble, strawberries, lemon cream, elderflower and apple jelly, fresh sorrel and basil cress. Creamy, crunchy, zingy and fresh, this dessert had it all and was a superb way to end our meal at The Palomar.

Equally good was the Malabi rose-scented milk pudding (£7) that came with raspberry coulis, coconut meringue, pistachio crunch, fresh raspberries and kataifi pastry (like angel hair pastry commonly seen in some types of baklava and in my favourite knafe). I remember having this in Jaffa from a street seller, served hot and with a little cinnamon. This is a favourite in Israel, served hot or cold on the streets but also in the finest restaurants.

What We Drank: We kicked off the evening with The Prelude - a refreshing cocktail of Prosecco, Aperol and Kamm & Sons. I liked this so much, the barman kindly told me how to prepare it - 25ml Aperol, 15ml Kamm & Sons, topped up with approximately 100ml Prosecco or Champagne.

The wines of Israel are gutsy and robust, and for our meal we chose a 500ml carafe of Syrah Har'el Clos de Gat 2011, from Judean Hills, Israel (£36), which worked a treat with all the grilled vegetables and meats and the lemony, spicy dressings.

Periodically, as in Israel, the staff would bring a complimentary shot, to be downed in one with the chefs and waiters, with a shout of 'la heim!’ (Cheers!).

Likes: There is so much to like about The Palomar - a buzzing atmosphere, great food and lively, knowledgeable and friendly service. 

Dislikes: None.

Verdict: For a taste of the wonderful cuisine of Israel in the heart of London, head to The Palomar. Book the zinc kitchen counter, and order as many small dishes as you can. Great food and super friendly service. Highly recommended.

A Recipe for the Best Burnt Cauliflower You Will Ever Taste!

Israeli food is fresh, gutsy and vibrant and having spent a couple of weeks eating my way around this wonderful country as part of Vibe Israel Food Tour of 2016, I soon became fascinated (if slightly obsessed) by it. As a chef, food & travel writer, I can honestly say that Israel has been one of the most inspiring culinary destinations I have visited in recent years. 

Israelis place great importance on good quality vegetables and how these are prepared; vegetables play a major role in any Israeli meal from breakfast to lunch and dinner. I was intrigued by some of their cooking techniques (they make extensive use of char-grilling), and also by their clever use of Middle Eastern spices, salted cheeses and yoghurts, lemony dressings and nutty tahini, elevating some of the simplest ingredients to completely new levels. I can say that this trip made me look at vegetables in a totally different light.

Take for example Eyal Shani’s burnt cauliflower – who would have thought you needed a recipe to burn cauliflower? Well apparently you do! One of the restaurants we got to visit in Tel Aviv during our trip was North Abraxas owned by celebrity chef Eyal Shani (reviewed here). Here we tried his signature burnt cauliflower, whose recipe he was kind enough to share with me.

I have tried this at home in London on a number of occasions, and it still impresses me every time. I love how such an inexpensive and ordinary vegetable can be transformed into something so utterly delicious.

We have all tried to be clever about cauliflower – we have added bacon, or baked it with tons of cheese or smothered it with curry sauce, but this recipe is all about the humble veg and it alone, with nothing else added but olive oil and salt. It is a winner of a recipe, dead easy to prepare and super quick too. I hope you will give it a try!

Burnt Cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized cauliflower (about 600g)
• 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Malden sea salt flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the tahini dressing (optional)

• 100g good quality tahini
• Juice of ½ lemon, to taste
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• Pinch of salt, to taste
• 100-200ml water, to taste

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to its highest setting (300°C or higher if possible). If your oven temperature does not go this high, you will need to use the grill at the end of the cooking process.

2. Fill a pan (large enough to take the entire cauliflower) with salted water (10g salt/litre water). Bring it to boil, then add the whole cauliflower to the pan and simmer for 8-10 minutes until softened.

3. Carefully remove the cauliflower from the pan and drain it over a colander for 10 minutes.

4. Using your hands, gently baste the entire cauliflower head with the extra virgin olive oil, season with the Malden sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

5. Place the cauliflower (head side up) on a baking tin lined with greaseproof paper. Cook it in the pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes or until blackened. If the cauliflower is not thoroughly blackened (because your oven is not hot enough), you may use the grill – place the cauliflower under the grill and let it burn for 3-5 minutes, carefully rotating it so that the entire upper part of the cauliflower is caramelized.

6. While the cauliflower is in the oven, prepare the tahini dressing – in a bowl add the tahini, salt, crushed garlic and lemon juice, then start adding the water little by little mixing vigorously as you do to incorporate it into the mix. The mix will initially curdle but do not worry, continue adding more water and mixing all the time, it will bind again. Add enough water until it has the consistency of double cream, check for seasoning and adjust if necessary. 

7. Serve the burnt cauliflower whilst hot with the lemony tahini dressing.

Jerusalem – Where to Eat, Drink & Shop in the Holy City

Few places on earth exert such a strong cultural, religious and historical significance as Jerusalem. Considered to be among the holiest of cities by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Jerusalem is also a vibrant and modern capital, with the Old City (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) at its heart.

How exciting then to be invited to Jerusalem as part of the Vibe Israel 2016 Food Tour in which I was fortunate to participate (see my earlier Israeli posts here, including my write up of the best places to eat and drink in Tel Aviv - here).

Mamilla Avenue with the Old City and walls in the background

Barely a square kilometre of meandering lanes and markets, Jerusalem’s walled Old City really packs a punch in its four distinct ethnic and religious sections - the Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim quarters.

Several of the world’s most important religious sites are found here including the Western Wall and Temple Mount for Jews and the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque for Muslims.

The Western Wall

The Dome of the Rock

For Christians, the Via Dolorosa, the route and its 14 stations where Christ bore the cross (also known as the Calvary) from the place of his trial to where he was crucified, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are just two of the most important sites.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was indeed a highlight of our visit, the sheer religious fervour of hundreds of Christians, many chanting and bearing potent incense made for a powerful experience, the church marking the spot where Jesus is said to have been crucified.

The Old City is a fascinating place, and simply walking around and taking in the atmosphere is in itself an experience.

The day I was visiting there were several Bar Mitzvah celebrations taking place along its narrow streets.

The Old City is also full of old fashioned sweet shops, spice markets, and plenty of street food options.

A 'sfiha' shop in the Old City

There are many places from which to enjoy excellent views and photographs in the Old City, among the best of which is the roof of the Austrian Hospice.

But for me the best place for photographs is in fact outside the city, on the top of the Mount of Olives, a one-hour uphill trek from the city walls. Definitely worth the trek for that iconic Jerusalem shot!

But Jerusalem extends far beyond the Old City. I spent a few days here to discover a lively and thrilling place, great food, wine and nightlife.

One such place is Machneyuda Market.

Also known as the shuk, this is perhaps the culinary heart of the city for locals and tourists alike, a sprawling covered market selling everything from fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish to falafel, kibbeh, halva and kebab.

Machneyuda Market is crazy, bustling and has great produce, aromas and a buzzing atmosphere.

Halva by Halva King

At night-time, after the vegetable shops close, many of them turn into late night bars and eateries frequented by a young, Jerusalemite hipster crowd.

Beer Bazaar is a popular hang out place – it sells more than 100 craft Israeli beers, and is open from midday until the last customer leaves the shop, which is about 2am! It also serves what appeared to be some excellent small sharing dishes, which sadly I did not try, as I visited it for after-drinks dinner.

Not far from the market, the popular Arbes Café is where you find the real McCoy of hummus while in Jerusalem.

I was told here that the secret of good hummus is to soak the chickpeas overnight, cook them for 3-4 hours then let them cool down naturally for at least another 12 hours. That is dedication for you, but it pays off, their hummus was outstandingly good!

Also by the shuk, behind the Iraqi section of the market, Azura was a noteworthy restaurant we got to visit. Azura serves Jewish Middle Eastern home-style food slow-cooked in huge vats.

Expect various types of hummus, soups, grilled meats, and the most sensational mejadra rice I have eaten (a fantastic and buttery rice dish with lentils, broken vermicelli and fried onions). Azura is a very popular lunch destination, and on Fridays the line can be quite long. It is one of the city’s institutions, the food is hearty, well seasoned and delicious; the décor is simple but inviting. I highly recommend a visit to Azura.

Near the Old City, we had a great breakfast at Kadosh Café. Breakfast is the Israelis’ most important meal, and it is not unusual to be served salads, tahini and other foods alongside your order of French baguette or fried eggs.

Kadosh is a charming, 1960s café serving great French and Middle Eastern patisserie, cooked brunch options and good, strong coffee. The place is a favourite with locals and on our visit, it was jam-packed. It has a retro feel, with tables outside and is a great place to enjoy a coffee and watch Jerusalemites go about their daily lives.

But the jewel in the crown of Jerusalem’s dining scene is undoubtedly the MachneYuda Restaurant just around the corner from the eponymous market. MachneYuda, has been the most talked about restaurant in Jerusalem since its 2009 launch; it was created by the winners of Israel’s Iron Chef show ‘Krav Sakinim’ - chefs Asaf Granit, Uri Navon and Yossi Asaf, a champion of Jerusalem’s ‘slow food’ movement.

MachneYuda is booked out for months in advance but it keeps a few free tables for walk-ins. We took our chances and went to the restaurant as soon as it opened, luckily securing a table straight away. On the opposite side of the street, Yudale is MachneYuda ‘s sister café and bar where similar food is served in a more casual, cheap and cheerful set up.

The restaurant has a comprehensive Israeli wine list and will also allow BYO though there is a 35 shekels (£6.50) corkage charge. Despite this, it is still worthwhile buying a fine bottle at one of the market’s vendors and bringing it here. 

The food at MachneYuda resonates with what I had seen at some of the best restaurants in Tel Aviv (reviewed here) – it was super fresh, well seasoned, zingy and punchy. I loved their generous use of herbs, spices, fresh vegetables and yoghurts, making for some heady and delicious cooking.

We started with beef tartare, pilardon yoghurt and pickled lemon (£10) - this was vibrant, fresh, beautifully seasoned and served in a crispy filo pastry cup with a lemony tahini.

Next up was one of their signature dishes, the soft polenta, with a mushroom ragu, Parmesan shavings and truffle oil (£10) – this was creamy, soft, warm, cheesy and totally scrumptious.

Another famous dish we had to order was their Shikshukit – a ground kebab served with tahini and refreshing yoghurt (£11).

We also had a platter of meltingly tender calamari with fresh tomatoes, amba (a tangy mango pickle made of mango, vinegar, salt, mustard, turmeric, chilli and fenugreek), and also hot peppers, garlic and herbs (£14). This was sensationally good served with some creamy and lemony tahini.

For dessert, we had Uri's mom famous semolina cake with tahini ice cream and yoghurt (£7.50) - a perfect sweet ending to an outstanding meal.

MachneYuda and Azura (no website - see Travel Essentials below for address) were by far the best restaurants I sampled in Jerusalem; they are very different in style but are great options in their own right. I recommend both very highly.

As much as I would love for you to travel to Jerusalem to try this wonderful food, you will not need to venture that far to experience it. If you live in London, The Palomar is MachneYuda’s sister restaurant right here in Soho/Chinatown area.

Once I returned to the UK, I was craving for all those punchy Israeli flavours and freshness, so I booked into The Palomar and I was anything but disappointed – we had a fantastic meal here that transported me right back to Jerusalem! I will be fully featuring The Palomar in a later post in the coming week.

Spice shop in the Old City, Jerusalem

Also in London, Honey & Co and Ottolenghi are great places for modern Israeli cuisine. Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s Jerusalem cookbook is one of my favourite cookbooks right now, as are Sharif & Itamar’s The Baking Book and Food from the Middle East, founders of Honey & Co.

View of the Old City from the top of the Austrian Hospice

Writing as a chef and as a food and travel blogger, I can honestly say that my journeys through Israel, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in particular, have really inspired me to learn the local cuisines and bring these flavours to what I do here – I love their abundant use of fresh herbs, spices, yoghurts, tahini; I love how they cook their vegetables, their understanding of seasoning and texture in their dishes; I love their wonderful stories, their generous spirit and the shared sense of camaraderie around food.

Traditional sweet shop in the Old City, Jerusalem

To say I was inspired by what I saw in Jerusalem is an understatement – Jerusalem has marked me deeply at many levels, and is a place I crave to return one day soon. 

Thanks to Vibe Israel for their invitation to Jerusalem.

Travel Essentials

Vibe Israel
http://vibeisrael.com/about-us/

Arbes Café
Nr. Shilo Street
Jerusalem
https://www.facebook.com/arbesJlm

Beer Baazar (inside MachneYuda Market)
Etz Hayyim 3 
Jerusalem, Israel
https://www.facebook.com/Beer.Bazaar.Jerusalem/

Azura
8 Machane Yehuda Street
Jerusalem
Israel
+972 2 6235204

Kadosh
Shlomtzion St. 6
Jerusalem
Israel
+972-02-625-4210
http://kadoshcafe.rest-e.co.il/

Mahneyuda
Beit Ya’akov St 10
Jerusalem
Israel
+972 2 533 3442
http://www.machneyuda.co.il/en

The Palomar
34 Rupert Street
London
W1D 6DN
http://thepalomar.co.uk/