Kapara is big and bold, full of joy and exuberance. It serves as a wonderful reminder of the many good things about Israeli culture and constitutes a welcome addition to the London restaurant scene.
Honey & Co: Sweet as…
Don’t break a winning formula is a useful principle. It’s one adhered to by the chefs at Honey & Co. Now in its second location (on Lambs Conduit Street, opposite Noble Rot), everything that made the original a success has been replicated here, in a larger and more grown-up setting. With the two owners hailing from Israel and having both worked under Yotam Ottolenghi during their careers, diners can rest assured that they will clearly be in good hands.
Miznon: High on chutzpah
People love stories and there are no shortage of these at Miznon, a buzzy new Israeli street food venue in Soho. Take the humble pita bread. Eating it at Miznon, the luridly-hued menu tells the diner, is “about recreation, not assembling.” Something may, of course, have been lost in translation. Regardless, whatever else Miznon loses, it more than makes up for in terms of chutzpah, that wonderful Yiddish idea of extreme self-confidence and audacity.
Bala Baya: Bar now set higher
Israeli food has become cool in recent years. Almost every middle-class household owns at least one cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi, while the Palomar has been a destination venue in London since its doors opened in 2014. Expectations are now markedly higher than a decade ago, and while Bala Baya did shows flashes of potential genius, it was left wanting in several areas.
The Palomar: Six years on
May 2014 seems like an age ago. In the world of restaurants, especially in London and all the more so in Soho, it is akin to a lifetime. Yet almost six years on from when the Palomar first opened its doors, the venue has lost none of its allure. If it was love at first sight back then, a recent visit reignited all the original passion.
Coal Office: Taste of Tel Aviv
Gourmand Gunno has been a regular traveller to and frequent advocate of Israel. There is much to love about the country and its food. The Coal Office, located in the Granary Square development behind King’s Cross, is the latest iteration of Israel’s potential and perhaps the venue in London that most faithfully captures the vibe of high-end dining outlets in Tel Aviv. Formal it is not, yet beneath the buzz, this is an incredibly slick operation.