Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Tel Aviv

It's a tall order for a place to dub itself "The City That Never Stops". But by the looks of it, Tel Aviv - the city in question - is not at all struggling to live up to their slogan.

Tel Aviv is a national employment centre for Israel's financial and hi-tech sectors, making the average income in the Tel Aviv-Yafo area 20% higher than the national average. This means Tel Avivians work hard, but they also know how to play hard. It is not unusual for restaurants, bars, and nightclubs to stay busy well into the wee hours on work nights - which is, by the way, Sunday to Thursday.

You will never be starved for choice in this Mediterranean seaside city. For instance, the Tel Aviv Port, although no longer harbours ships since the opening of Ashdod Port 40 kilometers away, is brimming with restaurants, cafés, bars, nightclubs, and fashion shops. To the south of the coast, the Old Yafo (Jaffa) Port takes the honour as the most romantic place to have an outdoor seafood dinner after gallery-hopping around its cobbled town centre. Inland between the two ports, Neveh Tzedek has emerged as the new artist colony, attracting creative types to its hip social scene and, subsequently, injecting new life into the once dilapidated quarter. And farther into the heart of the city, Rothschild Boulevard and the Sheinkin neighbourhood bring some trendy, upscale flavour to the financial district.

Largely secular, Tel Aviv is gaining a cosmopolitan reputation in the Middle East that is comparable to Tehran and Beirut in the 70's. And here's why eating, drinking, and simply being merry in TLV (airport code) is a way of life.

Eat...
Boya, Tel Aviv Port, Tel. 03-5446166
It's listed as seafood joint, although it has offerings on meats and pastas as well. The food is pretty decent and their garlic bread, just absolutely divine. However, it is still not strong enough to be considered one of Tel Aviv's premiere restaurants. It can be argued, though, that despite its cheesy corporate look, Boya has one of the loveliest views of the sea from its patio or from behind its floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Brunch is a special affair with choices for healthy, French, Middle Eastern, or American breakfasts.

Boya via inisrael

Mul Yam, Tel Aviv Port, Tel. 03-5469920
Its high-end prices match its high-end reputation. With ingredients flown from around the world, Mul Yam is THE place in Israel to sample the best seafood: Nova Scotia lobster, Brittany oysters, and fish from New Zealand. This is pure haute cuisine!

Mul Yam via inisrael

Kimmel, Hashahar 6, Tel. 03-5105204
A lively - albeit a bit crowded - rustic restaurant serving tapas-style dishes made for tasting and sharing. From the well-edited menu comes: eggplant stuffed with pesto, sheep's cheese, olive tapenade, and mushroom sauce; goat cheese ravioli with sage, cream, sweet potato and mushrooms; cured salmon in dill and lemon, with onion, capers, ginger, celery, and sweet pepper cream; ostrich filet grilled with lemon and garlic; chicken in teriyaki, sesame and eggplant on fettuccine; mushroom stuffed with goose liver in plum and fig sauce.

Pasha, 8 Ha'arbaa, Tel. 03-5617778
It's a modern restaurant serving traditional, kosher Turkish food. Starters are excellent: a variety of mezes such as cacik (yoghurt with cucumber, mint, olive oil), hummus (mashed chickpeas, tahini, paprika), cevizli biber (red pepper paste, walnut, spices), patlican (smoke-grilled eggplant mash with garlic, herbs, lemon, olive oil) are served with house bread made for sousing. Kofte (meatballs), pargiot maklouba (seasoned rice casserole with chicken), and taboon-cooked kebabs of lamb, beef, and chicken are all well-spiced mains. Finish with a gigantic ice cream plate to share and tea served in tiny glasses.

Piccola Pasta, 53 Ben Yehuda, Tel. 03-5290643
A quaint, little Italian restaurant with a homey, neighbourhood feel. There is an extensive menu with appetizers like asparagus antipasti (asparagus in butter, brandy, grappa with garlic bread and Parmiggiano); antipasti plate (fried eggplant, fried zucchini, basil, fresh mozzarella, salted ricotta, pesto, sweet peppers and garlic bread, and aceto balsamico). Their pasta dishes are simple yet hearty: mushroom & anchovies; salmon in cream sauce; pesto & tomato, to name a few. The tiramisu dessert cup is a sweet end to the meal.

Sheinkin Shawarma, 2 Sheinkin, Tel. No. 03-5252704
A hole-in-the-wall falafel and shawarma place that can seat, perhaps, 6 people in the bar. The spit-grilled beef, lamb, and chicken are moist, juicy, and aromatic. Have your shawarma pita with a couple of perfectly seasoned, crunchy falafel balls for the ultimate street sandwich. Don't forget to douse some hot sauce!

Drink and be merry...
Evita, 31 Yavne, Tel. 03- 5669559
A popular gay bar that welcomes straight peeps with open arms. Flashy videos are projected on the wall, but the real entertainment lies in observing the mating calls of the openly gay crowd.

Kibbutz Bar, HaTa’arucha 3
An open-air bar with cheap beer and kibbutz-style Israeli music. It's a great place to have a cold drink on a humid summer night amidst bales of hay, a John Deere tractor, and twinkling little lights.

Kibbutz bar via inisrael

Nanuchka, 28 Lilienblum, Tel. 03-5168178
A Georgian-style (former Soviet Union) bistro-bar that plays a mix of retro, pop and Middle Eastern music. The main room is usually crowded, so opt for a cozy nook at the back. Dancing on the bar is encouraged.

Pri Hagefen, Ehad Ha'am 4, Tel. 05-79439571
A wine-store-cum-tasting-cellar with übercool, dreadlocked bartenders at the helm. Pri Hagefen, translated as "fruit of the vine", is a well-stocked bar that features Israeli wines from over 70 estates. This is the best place to taste pomegranate vino, such as Rimon. The owners also run Nana, the restaurant across, and a guesthouse.