Every Bite is a RevelationJerusalem’s meat eatery Machne Asada has made its way to Tel Aviv, proving it's worth the trip. Stop the city, I want to get off at Rabin Square and hop across the street to Machne Asada.
At their tiny branch, we discovered one of the best sandwiches in town: the Smoky Short Rib. Nestled in a soft, braided challah roll baked on-site, it combines excellent meat with refreshing toppings. The sandwich features thick, succulent slices of asado on a base of citrus-mint aioli, paired with half-pickled cucumbers, tomato, crispy onion, and arugula.
Though the price isn't cheap (NIS 68), every bite is worth it! Like the famous Beitar footballer mentioned, Machne Asada has also made the leap from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv (By the way, you might spot Uri strolling along the Tel Aviv promenade or around Dizengoff Center like any other person).
The Jerusalem meat eatery, owned by the same people behind "Black Iron" in the capital, has just opened this branch following the remarkable success of the Jerusalem location, which foodies and journalists alike have dubbed "the best street food in Jerusalem." A new branch has also opened simultaneously in Modi'in.
Unlike the Jerusalem branch, the Tel Aviv location also offers meat platters without the bun. These include slow-roasted asado with chunky potato chips, available in both regular and keto versions; the Milanesa Argentinian platter, featuring beef schnitzel with potatoes and egg salad; chorizos with roasted cabbage, tahini, and salsa; and what’s becoming a popular dish in the city, a smoked brisket platter with chips and egg salad (ranging from NIS 52 to NIS 76 per platter).
In the sandwich section, you'll find the flagship dish, Asado, a long-roasted asado beef sandwich. Additionally, there's the Steak and Eggs sandwich, the Milanesa Argentinian sandwich, which is essentially a juicy beef schnitzel with egg salad, a chicken schnitzel sandwich with fried eggplant, a smoked short rib sandwich with citrus-mint aioli, and a vegan sandwich with Redefine Meat’s new meat.
Machane Asada, 8 Malkei Yisrael St., Tel Aviv (delivery available via Wolt and "Ten Bis"), 077-36275182 (kosher).
The Kids Couldn't ResistThe kids insisted we order the Bueno and Chocolate Sundae (NIS 62): A wide glass was filled with various desserts stacked on top of each other, creating a delightful mess that's more appealing to children. It included milk chocolate ganache, fudge brownies, Bueno cream, milk chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, and waffle balls. They devoured everything. We promised them tomorrow would be a vegetable-only day.
Also on the menu, and worth trying before autumn arrives: Tropical Mango Sundae, Banana and Salted Caramel Sundae, and Crème Brûlée with Blondie Chocolate Fudge in vanilla sauce, topped with crème brûlée and mango ice cream. Say goodbye to summer at Max Brenner.
Max Brenner (nationwide locations, kosher branch in Petah Tikva)
Oh-la-laWith a bit more effort, La La in Rehovot could go far. I was thrilled to arrive at La La, the kosher dairy restaurant in Rehovot, in the early evening, after a day where nothing but two coffees and a handful of strawberry-filled biscuits passed my lips.
We arrived, a vegan and an omnivore, and entered a cool and pleasant space, hoping for a delightful experience. And indeed, it was enjoyable. For starters, we ordered the vegan artichoke shawarma, which was excellent and included a generous amount of thinly sliced artichokes, perfectly retaining their tender texture, well-seasoned, and sautéed in olive oil. It was served with a juicy and crispy mini focaccia to soak up the remaining sauce after devouring the shawarma (NIS 42). We also ordered a good arancini dish, which included three pesto risotto balls, coated in cheese and breadcrumbs, deep-fried, and resting in a thick, tangy rosé sauce that nicely completed the dish (NIS 42).
Freshly squeezed orange juice, along with its companion carrot-apple juice, charmingly accompanied the dishes. For the main courses, we ordered Fish and Chips (98 shekels) for the omnivore and vegan Aglio e Olio pasta (NIS 58).
To be honest, we felt a slight decline compared to the starters. The fish and chips were served with two thin fish schnitzels, which were tasty and perfectly crispy, but in such a dish, you'd expect to find plump, juicy pieces of white fish wrapped in crispy, delicious tempura. The fries were too thin (though most Israelis might prefer them that way), but while they were tasty, it would have been more enjoyable if they were plumper and juicier like us. The vegan pasta dish was large and tasty, though a bit more sauce would have done it justice.
We accompanied the main courses with excellent cocktails: a strong and unapologetic mojito for me, and a sweet, perfect cocktail named The Shtoolala, based on vodka, lemon, yuzu, and ginger ale.
For dessert, we ordered a rich Basque cheesecake accompanied by milk chocolate sauce, which was excellent (NIS 48) and very generously sized, as well as a vegan pecan pie that was tasty but a bit too sweet (NIS 42).
La La is a good and welcoming restaurant, with attentive, friendly, and empathetic service. It would be nice if there were more vegan options and a bit of improvement in the main courses. We left stuffed and smiling, and we will undoubtedly return.
La La, 202 Herzl St., Rehovot, 077-3243860 (kosher)
