If location is the most important factor in real estate dealings, it also counts for a great deal in the restaurant world. It’s one of the reasons that Hayekev (The Winery) in Netanya remains universally popular – with its magnificent view of the glimmering Mediterranean, the waving palms, the ever-changing sky.
It’s also their reputation for excellent and innovative food that keeps the clients coming.
We enjoyed a very warm welcome recently and were able to remind ourselves just how good an eatery Hayekev is – both food and service well up to standard.
Food and service well up to standard
The place was full of families and couples of all ages when we arrived for lunch recently. We asked for a quiet venue and were seated in the inner dining room where the view is less splendid but the atmosphere less frenetic.
For starters, we chose haloumi cheese fingers with dips, and garlic bread, also with dips.
The cheese was coated in breadcrumbs and then fried. It was certainly very palatable as a starter but the chef could have made more of an effort with the dips – bottled sweet chili sauce and mayonnaise just doesn’t cut it.
Several small salads also arrived – all very fresh and attractively presented. They included humus with green tehina, beetroot, red pepper, eggplant and carrot. The garlic bread used to mop up the salads was hot and the garlic roasted. My only complaint – not enough of the pungent weed – you can never have too much garlic.
My companion’s main course was the sea bass – two very nice, fried fillets with green beans, chopped salad and roasted cauliflower (NIS 129). He seemed very content with this generous amount of food and as usual left the plate spotless.
I chose the burrito, being rather addicted to fresh cream in all its forms. This is a ball of thick mozzarella cheese, filled with whipped cream and served on a pizza base with artichoke hearts and roasted cherry tomatoes (NIS 79). How could it be anything but delicious?
We drank draught beer and shandy as it seemed too early for wine, plus plenty of iced water, given the temperature outside.
After this, we couldn’t even consider dessert although Hayekev has some spectacular offerings in the NIS 45/47 price range.
Having ended this very enjoyable meal, we said our goodbyes, got to the nearby parking lot as speedily as possible to avoid the scorching heat, and drove off secure in the knowledge that we had partaken of a truly exceptional meal.
- Hayekev
- Gad Machness 2, Netanya
- Open: Sun.-Thurs: 8 a.m. – midnight
- Friday: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- Saturday: 8 p.m. – midnight
- Phone: (09) 862-2220
- Kashrut: Netanya Rabbinate
- Wheelchair accessible
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.