Yet another kosher restaurant has opened in the Y. Center Mall in Netanya. The Prime Grill House or its Hebrew name, “Chef al Ha Esh’ has only been around for two months and has already built up a reputation for good service, ample portions and tasty food. It’s situated in a large, high-ceilinged building where diners can choose small, intimate tables or large families can sit comfortably together.
It’s old-style Israel, with an abundance of opening salads as starters and skewers of different meats for mains. Set lunch is NIS 69 or NIS 89, depending on the meats chosen.
We were greeted on arrival one evening recently by Yosef Yankelevitch, the manager and front man. With his bushy beard and sparkling eyes, he makes every guest feel instantly at home.
What's on the menu at the Prime Grill House in Netanya, Israel?
We asked for red wine and beer and these were brought along with some nibbles: salted nuts and small edamame. Yankelevich explained that anyone ordering alcohol gets the nuts thrown in. We both felt this was a good start.
I counted fifteen salads, which arrived with fresh hot focaccia and sesame bagels. Yosef explained that the standard number is six but he wanted us to taste them all.
The salads, made from variations of carrot, sweet potato, tomato, beetroot, peppers and quinoa were all very fresh and not overly spiced.
The only one I took exception to was the mushroom and corn, as the mushrooms were canned and tasted mummified. Everything else, including the now classic grilled eggplant and Har Bracha tehina, was perfect.
My companion chose a skewer of beef – hangar meat – and found it very tender and flavorsome. It came nice and hot with a mustard-like sauce.
My skewer of pargit was especially good and I found the amount of chicken to be over-generous, so my dining partner got some of that, too. On the side was a baked potato with crispy skin and creamy innards, which was extra delicious. A side salad of baby leaves had a pleasant, slightly sweet vinaigrette dressing.
Desserts are imported from a central dessert emporium so I suppose the chef cannot take credit for the divine lemon meringue pie we shared.
The place is vegan with several options and is also child-friendly so families can enjoy a great outing.
A card on the table lists the different degrees of meat grilling – rare, medium, well-done – and in the Hebrew version – “Oy, what have I done” for the burnt steak. The English version I’m sorry to say, cannot be printed in a family newspaper.
Prime Grill House,Y. Center,Sderot Giborei Israel 17Netanya,077 230 2545Open: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–midnight.Saturday – Half an hour after Shabbat ends.Kashrut: Rabbinate Netanya, Rav Machpud.
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.