Chef Yankale Turjeman has changed the restaurant’s concept to make it more accessible to Israelis and lowered the prices significantly.
By LINDA GRADSTEIN1868, Jerusalem(photo credit: DIVA TURJEMAN)
I always think of 1868 as a very good and very expensive restaurant. To be honest, the high prices had deterred me a few times when I was looking for a nice but not exorbitant meal.But after my foodie friend Laura texted me in all caps saying, “JUST HAD THE MOST AMAZING MEAL. YOU HAVE TO COME HERE,” I decided it was fate.Let’s get the corona stuff out of the way. The tables at this elegant restaurant are spaced far apart. We chose to sit outside, where there were just a few tables, and all waiters wore masks properly. The menu, which changes every week anyway, is printed on paper.Chef Yankale Turjeman has changed the restaurant’s concept to make it more accessible to Israelis and lowered the prices significantly. On Sunday and Monday evenings there is a very reasonable burger menu starting at NIS 68 for a 200 gram beef hamburger. Other options include a lamb and beef burger (NIS 88), a Japanese salmon burger (NIS 78), and a vegan mushroom burger (NIS 68). You can add all kinds of toppings, including a fried egg, corned beef and hollandaise.Since I visited 1868 on a Tuesday, I did not try the burger menu, but I plan to.On Tuesday-Thursday the only option is basically a tasting menu (NIS 195) in which all of the appetizers are served to the center of the table, and you choose only your main course. There are a lot of courses, each of which is a showcase for Turjeman’s creativity.My dining companion was my foodie daughter Rafaella, who exclaimed over each course. It started with a small tree, brought to our table, which I originally thought was meant to be a centerpiece and not part of the meal. Nestled among the branches were olives stuffed with almonds, candied peanuts, pumpkin seed marzipan and a cool-looking but somewhat weird wakame (seaweed) meringue. It was served with sourdough bread and homemade crackers accompanied by eggplant aioli. I had to hold back on the bread, as I knew what was coming.The next course may have been the hit of the evening. An emerald green parsley and garlic soup with smoked oxtail tortellini. I’m not a huge fan of parsley, but this soup was unctuous, garlicky and delicious.Next came a series of small appetizers. The most interesting was a dish of ravioli stuffed with lamb on an artichoke cream. There was also a sea fish ceviche, a garden leaf salad, and red tuna toro kebab. The portions were small, but each dish was creative and beautiful to look at.For the main course, I chose the beef fillet, grilled in a charcoal oven with mustard and apple sauce and crispy potatoes. The fillet was served a perfect medium-rare, and the sauce was a great accompaniment. My daughter chose the lamb roast, which the waitress warned us was somewhat fatty, served with an outstanding herb gnocchi and a green vegetable casserole.
Had we gone for fish, I would have chosen the red tuna steak with cauliflower puree or the sea bass with egg yolk spaghetti with pesto.We each received a small dish of olive oil and honey ice cream and shared a textured chocolate mousse. There is a small wine list, and cocktails are available from the next door Zuta cocktail bar.Given the fact that an entrée alone in some chef restaurants can cost almost as much as this whole meal, I really think it’s outstanding value for money. The menu changes every week, and reservations are recommended.1868Kashrut: Jerusalem Rabbinate Mehuderet10 King David StreetPhone: (02) 622-2312Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 6-10:30 p.m.The writer was a guest of the restaurant.
