Each September, the Big Orange ushers in the new year with hundreds of toasts during the annual celebration of Tel Aviv Cocktail Week (TLVCW), a project that facilitates imbibers’ getting to know the best bars in the city.
Here’s how it works: one buys vouchers on the TLVCW website entitling customers to enjoy signature cocktails in leading bars for the heavily discounted price of NIS 25. Each participating bar has designed a special cocktail that is offered at this reduced price.
This year, more than two dozen bars participated, including many of the bars universally acknowledged to be among the best — such as ones affiliated with the Imperial Group, as well as others from master mixologist Ariel Leizgold’s Monkey Business Group and representatives of the Concierge Group. In addition, there were even venues in Jerusalem and Beersheba.
Moreover, TLVCW hosted special events nearly every night of the one week, which spanned two weekends (22-28.8). These workshops and parties featured evenings such as a Beluga Vodka pop up, a party sponsored by Campari, and mixology workshops and tastings.
After TLVCW was cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic, next year’s event has been moved up, and will be held in May, 2022. To be sure you stay in the know, sign up for the DrinkTLV newsletter here.
Celebrations by the sea in the city
As an updated Green Pass is currently in the process of being issued, amid the hopes of banquet hall owners that no new restrictions will be placed on gatherings such as weddings, an events venue at the strategic location of Namal Tel Aviv is coming back to life with a bang -- introducing catering by prestigious chef Aviv Moshe, of the Messa Group. The performance and event venue is named Yordei Hasira, after the street on which it is situated, where it dead ends into the boardwalk of Tel Aviv Port.
The large venue has three distinct areas for mingling, eating and dancing: a spacious main main hall with open kitchen and bar(s); an open-air terrace with stunning views of the endless Mediterranean; and an al fresco courtyard with stations for appetizers and a nook for setting up a wedding huppa.
To mark the occasion of the grand reopening and introduce Chef Moshe’s new menu, journalists and engaged couples planning weddings were invited to tour the site and enjoy a gala dinner. The evening started with drinks on the terrace overlooking the courtyard, as well as a round of excellent hors-d’oeuvres, the highlight of which was a unique chestnut carpaccio.
The first course of the meal was a tasty veal pastilla, inspired by Moroccan cuisine, while the second course was an intriguing gourmet combination of foie gras served on Belgian waffle drizzled with white chocolate. The main course was a succulent veal filet enhanced with a vanilla-merlot sauce and truffle cream, and served alongside al dente bok choy.
Dessert was a rich chocolate nemesis with salted toffee sauce, tuile cocoa and chocolate macaroon. It was a delicious finale to a memorable meal, especially given the kashrut restrictions ruling out dairy ingredients during the course of a meat meal.
At regular intervals, Yordei Hasira invites engaged couples seeking a wedding venue to experience a similar tasting dinner. The next such event is scheduled for October 13, 2021.
Yordei Hasira Performance and Event Venue. Kosher. 1 Kaf Gimel Yordei Hasira St., Tel Aviv. (073)702-0360.
First published: 22:28, 10.13.21