On those cold Tel Aviv nights, Brenner’s twists on traditional winter dishes-- such as chocolate soup, candied apple cider with wine and Chocolate Lotus crepes-- will leave guests feeling warm, cozy and most importantly, sugar high. The winter menu is split up into two categories: drinks and food.
For guests looking for a quick warm up they should try one of the chocolate cafes winter drinks-- either the rich lotus hot chocolate or the sweet hot cider.
Upon ordering the cider we were impressed by the special individual teapots the waitress brought us. The cider was a bright candy-apple red, not a color usually associated with apple cider but delicious none the less. The warm pieces of apple steeped in the drink gave the cider some extra flavor. Try it infused with wine for some warmth that will last longer than the drink itself.
Brenner is famous for it’s chocolate for a reason, and the Lotus Hot Chocolate lives right up to the restaurant's reputation A rich and creamy cup of pure chocolate with that delicious Lotus cookie flavor makes the diner wonder if you are drinking hot chocolate or simply a melted cookie.
The restaurant is best known for it’s dessert dishes, and those on the winter menu do not disappoint.
A large bowl of Brenner’s chocolate “soup” will lift your spirits on the coldest Tel Aviv winter day. A bowl of the cafe's signature melted chocolate is brought to the table along with many soup “ingredients”-- such as strawberries, bananas, and candy chocolate balls. Mix them all up in your “soup,” find a spoon and indulge.
Diners should also seek out the Lotus crepe, one of the more decadent items on the winter menu. The large traditional crepe is filled with a gooey cookie center and then drizzled with warm chocolate. Perfect for splitting with a friend or that Valentines Day date.
Most people recognize Max Brenner as the international chocolate chain, but what most people do not realize is that Max Brenner’s roots lie in a small as a small boutique chocolate shop in Raanana, near Tel Aviv. Today the chain has spread chocolate to Australia and Singapore, as well as multiple locations in the United States, but the Israeli restaurants were the first.
As the weather turns cold and rainy in Israel this winter one thing is clear; nothing beats the cold quite like warm chocolate, and Max Brenner certainly hits the spot. The writer was a guest of the restaurant