During a difficult routine and after complex days that left many of us confined to our homes, the beloved Tel Aviv food festival "Tel Aviv EAT" of 2023 opened with great fanfare. See the great booths we visited at the festival:
Eat Tel Aviv Festival is underway // Photo: Moshe Ben-Simhon
The culture of food festivals in Tel Aviv began to gain momentum and sympathy back in the nineties, when the developing Fourth Street was closed to traffic and several food and wine stands served their wares on the road. Then, at that first festival, Tel Aviv discovered sushi. The Mishna band played there on one of the rooftops, and where crowded office buildings rise by day, they improvised a jubilant dance floor. Since then, many food stands under various names have flowed into various locations in the city, the best known of which is "Taam Ha'ir", which later came to be called – Tel Aviv EAT.
In the dessert sector,
This year's festival, as on previous occasions, covers a huge area in Charles Clore Garden on the beach. The spring weather, the green meadows and the blue sea, are already the promise of a fun, liberated and pleasant urban pastime.
Once again, big names and favorites serve light dishes in the spirit of street food. The "Aharonis", who are Israel Aharoni and his children, Uri and Tamara, serve at the festival a kind of shatnez between a classic burger and a Cuban sandwich, in which the bun on each program receives a toast shell – and that's great. At the Aharoni family stand, you can also eat nuggets or ice cream in strawberry ketchup sauce.
Street food at the festival,
The beloved chef, Raz Rahav, who identifies himself as an avid burger lover, arrives at the festival this time in a unique collaboration with the veteran Agadir burger restaurant. Rahav recreated the patty, made his own sauces, but left the essence unchanged. We will explain, a burger is a burger - except that here, in the stand, it is called "Super Burger" and it is served with Razi's secret sauce, horseradish leaves and shallot onions.
Crispy Chicken Burger, Photo: Moshe Ben-Simhon
Chef Guy Gamzu brought with him to the event the addictive sandwiches of "Nononu" - classics of corrupt American food in special fluffy buns, which are inappropriate for such an event. Chef Tomer Agay cooks his local Israeli cuisine here and makes it easy and fun to eat standing up. That's how he serves chicken masahan with onions and sumac on a plump lafa.
The bun of "Nononu",
And who else is here?!
Haim Cohen with Dixie's famous wings, Chef Assaf Gabbay with Shaina's Fishburger, Manal Ismail's Shishbarak, Bino's sandwiches, Pescado's fish, Avi Levy's HaMotzi, Shaul Ben Aderet with Blue Rooster and Kimmel Gilboa, Rachel Ben Elul's famous meat sandwiches and more. In the Asian sector: "Nini Hachi" with Pad Thai, "Wong" with Ban Chicken Curry and "K-Pa Hanoi" with Spring Rolls, Peking spring rolls.
Tel Aviv EAT Festival is underway,
In the sweet section: donuts and cookies from "Showroom Bakery", knafeh and banana lotti, croissant filled with ice cream, ice cream from "Otello" - and more, and more, and more. All at pro-onslaught prices of 25-40 shekels, and without small print.
Tel Aviv EAT Festival, Charles Clore Park, Tel Aviv, May 18-15, 23:00-18:00.
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