Turkish restauran Maris survived the pandemic and is booming
Maris, a Turkish restaurant in Ramat Aviv, serves appetizing ethnic food at affordable prices.
By BUZZY GORDONUpdated: JUNE 17, 2021 18:14A kebab and sides at Maris. (photo credit: ARKADI RASKIN)
The western end of Einstein Street in the affluent suburbia of Ramat Aviv has attracted more than its share of appealing eateries in recent years, yet – most likely because of the disastrous consequences of the pandemic – the neighborhood has also witnessed unexpected turnover among these establishments. Thus, the prime location that was once the home of the Asian restaurant Tatami is now occupied by newcomer Maris, which specializes in Turkish cuisine.The summer months are ideal for the debut of a taverna-style eatery where the majority of the seating is al fresco, on a patio furnished with colorful tables. There is a small indoor space, dominated by the bar and tabun oven.Although Maris has not been open long, it has clearly been discovered; we arrived early on a weeknight, and the place was already nearly full. The welcoming staff was especially eager to please. They even relocated our table in order to create distance between us and a group of cigar smokers.The atmosphere calls for a drink before dinner, and there is a reasonable number of wines available by the glass (NIS 33-60), as well as four specialty cocktails (NIS 37-42). Unfortunately, Maris is still waiting to stock Turkish beer. While the food menu has been translated into English, the alcohol list is still only in Hebrew.Most of the cocktails are based on Turkish spirits, and we enjoyed two of them: the Middle East Raki and the Bishbesh. Lavishly garnished with a huge sprig of fresh rosemary and half an entire fennel, respectively, both were exotically refreshing.The bilingual evening menu comprises six sections: Mezze (NIS 18-22), Tabun (NIS 38-42), Intermediate Courses (NIS 52-86), Main Courses (NIS 58-145), Kids’ Menu (NIS 38-44), and Desserts (NIS 26-44). There are tempting vegetarian/vegan options in every category.It is de rigueur to start a meal at Maris with some of the mezze, which are also available at discounted prices when ordered as a quartet or octet (NIS 89/159, including rustic bread). There was not a single one of the four intensely seasoned appetizers we ordered that we did not enjoy, from the yogurt dip with garlic and mint butter (haydani) to the roasted red pepper with Tulum cheese (koz biber), and from the fava and olive oil spread to the mashed red pepper and tomato salad (ezme). All were mopped up to the last drop with the fresh, crusty bread.Our choice from the round oven was the Pide, flatbread filled with spinach and melted cheese. This Turkish turnover, bursting with a rich mixture of Tulum and mozzarella cheeses, was simply delicious.Some of the intermediate courses could easily be interchanged with main courses, and vice versa; indeed, one dish – the Kokorech – was listed among the latter on the English menu, and among the former on the Hebrew menu. My companion and I were split when it came to our opinions of two of these dishes: She preferred the kokorech – a succulent mixed grill of sweetbreads and pullet – while I favored the Arnavut Ciger, deep-fried chunks of veal liver with red onion and sumac.One thing is certain: you will be hard pressed to find these dishes – like many others at Maris – at other Israeli restaurants.
Two iconic Turkish delicacies – Adana Kebab and Urfa Kebab – lead off the main courses. Strangely, our experiences with the two were polar opposites. The latter arrived overcooked, dry and devoid of flavor, while the former was a prime example of what a cylinder of ground beef and lamb should be – juicy and savory.Our takeaway: when the chef is busy, he might inadvertently leave the meat on the grill a bit too long; on the other hand, he certainly showed that he is capable of doing things right. Moreover, we also had the impression that if we had returned the offending kebab to the kitchen, they would have gladly replaced it. It was only because we were already pleasantly satiated that we did not request it.Finally, dessert was our consolation for any minor disappointment. We chose only one of four (NIS 26-44) listed: Katmer – phyllo pastry filled with kaymak (clotted cream) and ground pistachio nuts. This was as good as any Oriental pastry we had eaten anywhere, and on a par with any of the top knafeh candidates that have become trendy in recent years.MarisNot kosher7 Einstein street, Ramat AvivTel. (03) 500-7040The writer was a guest of the restaurant.
