Israel: Tel Aviv

Only knowing the nickname "Big Orange," I had no idea what to expect from Tel Aviv but I was more than pleasantly surprised. Think cafes and bars on every corner, lush green trees and open space and young people galore. After looking out my hotel window the first night, it seems like Tel Aviv really lived up to the play on NYC's nickname as another city that never sleeps.

The next free day was spent exploring Tel Aviv and what it has to offer besides the beautiful Mediterranean beaches. We started the day with breakfast at the Dan Hotel, where we were staying during our time in Israel.

Sunrise from hotel window

(don't worry - this was taken on a work day, not the weekend)



We then started off walking down Dizengoff, one of Tel Aviv's major streets, full of cafes and shopping. As it was Saturday, otherwise known as Shabbat, many of the stores were closed (which was probably a good thing given how many boutiques we passed). We then turned down Sheinkin, one of the most upscale areas of Tel Aviv, and continued our window shopping.



Fountain in Dizengoff Square.

Gardens

Temple in Tel Aviv

After searching near and far for some Bauhaus architecture, we ended up on Rothschild, another one of the most expensive streets in the city and the heart of the financial center. After stopping for a delicious lunch (and a bit of sangria laced with traces of cinnamon) at Rothschild 12, we started heading our way to Neve Tzedek, one of the first neighborhoods in Tel Aviv.

Typical Tel Aviv street view.

Chicken salad and cinnamon sangria.

As not much was happening in Neve Tzedek on Shabbat, we took a quick taxi ride to Jaffa (Yafo in Hebrew and Yaffa in Arabic), one of the world's oldest ports. This is the place where Jonah began his journey that left him inside of a belly of a big fish and where Andromeda was tied to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster before being saved by Perseus. It was also here where Peter the Apostle received a vision marking a significant ideological split between Judaism and Christianity.

 Square in Jaffa

 

 Jaffa Port overlooking the New City

After some gelato and a bit of souvenir shopping, we headed back to the hotel to watch the sunset and freshen up before dinner.

 Sunset from hotel lounge.

 

After the great view (accompanied by a glass of wine), we hopped in a taxi for a short ride to Manta Ray, a seafood restaurant located on the water with a huge fanned porch. Fun Fact: Madonna once ate there. I had one of the most elaborate risottos I have tried to date, called Risotto "at its best." Manchego cheese, chicken, cream, chili peppers and basil accompanied shrimp, artichoke and hazelnut pesto for a scrumptious explosion of flavors.

Manta Ray's Risotto "at its best"

Tel Aviv knows its food. Every meal I had was absolutely amazing. I am tempted to travel back solely to eat, eat and eat some more. Below is a sample of some other fabulous dishes and restaurants we tried.

Beet salad at Shila

 

 

Tomato salad at Shila

 

 Dining companion at Bertie.

 

Seafood risotto at Bertie.

 

View from a delicious Kosher dinner

with our Israeli colleagues in Herzliya

 

 Tornado Rossini (tenderloin with portobello

mushroom and goose liver) at Bistro 56 in Herzliya

Funny enough, I think I may have eaten too many of the dishes before I was able to take a photo (sometimes I get too excited). If not all mentioned above, favorites included: Baccaccio (homemade pasta), Bertie, Manta Ray, Shila and Social Club (the duck is a must try). Trust me when I say - Tel Aviv is a city for foodies. When you get an itch to go, call me.

Credits
Dan Tel Aviv, 99 HaYarkon Street, Tel Aviv, Israel