New and noteworthy in Jerusalem: Anna, Aluma and the Garden Terrace
Review: Three new kosher options grace the capital: Anna, with an uplifting social mission; Aluma, helmed by a chef with an international pedigree; and the Waldorf Astoria’s Garden Terrace, serving up cocktails with a view.
The Beit Ticho annex of the Israel Museum has always been a tranquil oasis in the heart of downtown Jerusalem, as well as the home of a well regarded restaurant. While the building was undergoing significant and lengthy refurbishment in recent years, the restaurant Little Jerusalem reinvented itself as Piccolino in Nahalat Shiva, and a search began for a kosher restaurant that would replace it. Fortunately, when Ticho House reopened this spring, tradition was preserved: there is a small park that is a welcome patch of green just a block from busy Yafo Road, and a new cafe named Anna that serves Italian cuisine.
Anna is more than just a restaurant, however, it is a business with the added dimension of giving back to society. Backed by the Dualis Social Investment Fund, whose flagship restaurant is Liliyot in Tel Aviv, Anna employs at-risk youth and trains them in a respected profession, with the active involvement of a staff social worker.
The restaurant is so new there is still not a single sign anywhere; Anna occupies the entire second floor of the museum, including an al fresco seating area on the veranda, plus a room for private functions. The kitchen, however, is in the hands of seasoned professionals, formerly of the vaunted Machneyuda group—experience that is reflected both in the quality of the food and the excellent service.
As we perused the bilingual menu and wine list—which is more extensive than one expects from a dairy restaurant in Jerusalem—we munched on grissini and sipped white sangria. The thin breadsticks were served with dips of crème fraîche and zesty pesto, both swimming in olive oil, while the sangria was served in a small carafe jampacked with chunks of fruit and fresh mint.
We chose two appetizers in which vegetables were the star: roasted zucchini with feta cheese seasoned with oregano and chili, and asparagus topped with a mound of pecorino cheese, toasted hazelnuts, and grilled onion and tomato; both presented us with wonderful interplay of flavors.
Our pasta choices were the spinach ricotta ravioli and the pumpkin risotto. According to the menu, the ravioli was simply “aglio e olio”—but in fact it comes with grilled tomato, cherry tomato and onion, which complemented nicely the fat pillows of well seasoned filled pasta. The risotto, meanwhile, was redolent of pumpkin both in pieces and puréed, and enhanced with leeks and shaved pecorino, adding up to a creamy and delicious entrée.
For dessert we sampled the tiramisu—piled particularly high with frothy whipped cream—and the chocolate cremeux, layered atop chocolate cake and accompanied by slivered almonds and cocoa crumble. The excellent desserts, washed down with freshly brewed cappuccino, reinforced our impression that whether you are in the mood for a good meal or just dessert and coffee, Anna certainly fills the bill.
Anna, Beit Ticho, Harav Agan Street 10, Jerusalem. Tel. (02) 543-4144.
A new home for Michael Katz
There is no doubt that Chef Michael Katz’s credentials are among the most impressive in Jerusalem’s culinary scene: a member of the Belgian association of Master Chefs, he was a sous-chef in a two-star Michelin restaurant in Europe, and the only Israeli ever to be a Cordon Bleu instructor (in London). Now he has been recruited for a new upscale restaurant at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem: Aluma, whose decor is not only bright and elegant, it boasts one of the strictest Kashrut certifications in the Orthodox (and ultra-Orthodox) world.
Aluma has an intriguing list of specialty cocktails, offered by the well-stocked bar; unfortunately, I was not able to sample any, because the bartender works only evenings.
There is quite a bit of variety among the starters, including three salads, plus daily specials for vegetarians. Our favorites among the appetizers were the crusted tuna roll, accompanied by a delicate cucumber and tapioca salad, as well as frothy mayonnaise with a touch of wasabi; the ceviche of the day, which, quite unexpectedly, paired the freshest of spicily marinated fish with sweet chunks of watermelon and rock melon; and Aluma’s take on sabich: a roasted eggplant salad with tomatoes, chickpeas, tahini and a crispy poached egg—Israeli street food elevated to another level.
Other menu headings are pasta, fowl, meat and fish. From the latter group, we sampled Chef Katz’s tribute to one of his mentors, Chef Atilio Baso: salmon roll in crispy phyllo dough with shallots and mushrooms in wine sauce—a worthy encomium indeed.
The meat selections are not limited to the usual beef, veal and lamb; each day there is a special stew, and we were fortunate to be served the mutton stew with saffron rice, a particularly succulent dish.
Our main courses were washed down nicely with a glass of the very pleasant house wine: a full-bodied Cabernet-Syrah blend from Barkan.
Each dessert at Aluma is the exquisite creation of a dedicated pastry chef. The tapioca in mango cream with cherry marmalade, caramelized pistachios and apricot foam was a frothy delight, while the pear poached in wine with raspberry crème brûlée, strands of kadaif and caramelized almonds was delicious.
The restaurant’s luxurious setting extends to a private room for business, diplomatic or social functions; and the food is guaranteed to match the surroundings.
Aluma, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Ha’Aliya Street 1, Jerusalem. Tel. (02) 643-7555.
Cocktails under the stars
The innovations continue at the award-winning Waldorf Astoria, as the Garden Terrace celebrated its grand opening. The lounge and promenade area transforms the rooftop of the restored historical section of the building that was once the eminent Palace Hotel into an ideal setting for relaxing with creative cocktails, gourmet tapas and even imported cigars.The Garden Terrace basks in the cool air of Jerusalem’s evenings, above the bustle of the streets below and overlooking the eastern flank of Independence Park. The venue itself boasts its own greenery, creating an atmosphere of tranquility.
The Garden Terrace features a well-stocked bar with its own specialty cocktail menu and an internationally curated cigar collection. Additionally, the hotel’s Executive Chef Itzik Barak has designed a distinctive menu of Mediterranean-inspired tapas dishes to be enjoyed in this unique al fresco area.
The tapas here comprise a full range of vegetarian, meat and fish dishes, including veal spareribs, lamb kebab, ceviche, and a truly inspired upgrade of traditional meatballs, which are battered in a beer-infused tempura and served with pepper cream.
The Garden Terrace is the third restaurant to be located in the hotel, after The King’s Court (adjacent to the main lobby), and The Palace, dedicated to fine dining.
The restaurant is open Sunday-Thursday, from 18.00 to 23.00.
The Garden Terrace, The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Gershon Agron St. 26, Jerusalem. Tel. (02) 542-3333.
