The Jordan Valley, in the south of the Sea of Galilee, is a bustling region that boasts a thriving culinary scene. In the days before the war, it was very easy to fill the entertainment diary every evening with a variety of magical and fun possibilities in the area. Delightful coffee and pastry at Zoza, a romantic dinner at the bar of the 1910 restaurant, fine Neapolitan pizza at Fresca, a nightly drink and good music at Alba or Edison and, of course, an evening full of good food and fine alcohol at On the River. On October 7, everything changed, and since then hotels and holiday villages have been filled with residents who have been evacuated from their homes. The general atmosphere has changed accordingly.
"On the River" was for years a distinctly typical regional bar. Its fantastic location on the banks of the Jordan River (a baptismal site in the Jordan River) is one-of-a-kind and wonderfully Israeli. His name is also common to every local Blaine. The place closed at the beginning of the year for reconstruction and opened in a nearby location and with a different concept.
The interior of the place, photo: Harel Gilboa
I met with Nadav Dayan, the owner, on October 5. We sat together at the bar and he told me the story of the reopening. Throughout the meeting, we were joined by friends from all corners of the valley and I got to experience the magic of the place and its people. The article was supposed to be published a few days later, but life has since turned upside down. The interview remains recorded as a vivid testimony to the days before the war. Now that the activity has returned to a cautious routine, the paragraphs have been rewritten and additional questions have been asked in the spirit of the times.
From a security point of view, the Jordan Valley is fairly quiet and is guarded and far from the active fronts during the war. In light of the situation, the restaurateurs here have had to rethink and appeal only to local audiences, instead of enjoying pilgrimages that tend to visit the area during the autumn and winter months. Indeed, some businesses have returned to welcome activity and have begun to move the wheels of the economy with restraint and sensitivity. So is "On the River." "The war caught us at a very challenging time, as soon as the restaurant opened, the war broke out, which made it very difficult for us," says Nadav Dayan, adding: "There was a huge shortage of workers. Most of our employees, as well as Naor and my brother Niv, were called up for reserve duty."
One of the dishes,
Are people coming to you?
"Given that the area is quiet compared to the rest of the country – there hasn't been a single alarm here since the war broke out – it's clear that more people feel safe going out and getting some air with us."
Nevertheless, the Dayan brothers also have optimistic news - at the beginning of January they will fulfill another dream and open Café River - a new bakery and patisserie adjacent to the restaurant.
Tropical sashimi and mushroom risotto
In 2013, brothers Nadav and Naor Dayan returned to their childhood, after years of careers in nightlife and hospitality in Tel Aviv, purchased "On the River" and at a certain point dared to fulfill a brave dream and turn the place from a rough local bar into an elegant and desirable restaurant bar.
The view from the table,
A lot of passion and daring was invested in the new place. It is spacious and seats about 300. Still on the banks of the Jordanian, soaked among eucalyptus trees - but stylish, stylish and full of chic. The new design of "On the River" is a shatnez between European rigor and the natural laid-back nature of a tropical resort.
With the conceptual change, there was also a necessary culinary change and a new and up-to-date menu was created for it. The gastronomic line and kitchen spirit are outlined by the brothers, accompanied by an operational chef. Together they refined and refined the menu with great attention according to their clientele and their experience as veteran hosts in the industry, with the intention of enabling a wide range of dishes for a large variety of diners.
From the menu, photo: Gil Aviram
Alongside a colorful cocktail menu and a respectable wine list, you can enjoy dishes such as: tropical sashimi with jalapeno, coriander and pineapple (NIS 78); fish carpaccio with roasted hazelnuts, oregano and olive oil (77 NIS); mushroom risotto (68 NIS); variety of pizzas (62-68 NIS); And.
"Since we reopened, the atmosphere has been calm and sad on a daily basis," Nadav says. "We are all directly or indirectly partners in this war and hope it will end soon."
What has changed in the nature of entertainment since you returned to opening?
Nadav Dayan: "He has become more modest and is usually characterized by a desire for a change of atmosphere and some ventilation from the hard news."
Apart from the regular customers from the area, do you also host evacuated residents?
"Yes, we have many evacuated customers from the north of the country who are also our customers on an ongoing basis because of our geographical location and have recently been evacuated from their homes to hotels in the Tiberias and Sea of Galilee area."
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us