Good morning! It's an absolutely gorgeous day here in Boston today. Finally, some sun! I am going to spend the morning at my favorite spring time event, the South End Garden Tour. Stay tuned for a photo-filled recap later this weekend.
Today I want to tell you about one of the best dining experiences I had while I was in Israel.
Though I was staying with my friend in Be'er Sheva (in the south, in the desert) she took a day off of work so we could travel back north together to Tel Aviv.
Tel Aviv is the country's most metropolitan city. It has a fantastic art and music scene, great dining, fun shopping and most importantly, sits along a heavenly beach. The best of the city and the surf? What more could a girl ask for?
The first stop on our day of fun in Tel Aviv was Meshek Barzilay, which translates to "Barzilay Farm." For those that live in Israel or visit regularly, the same people use to operate a restaurant on Moshav Yarkona outside of Hod Sharon.
The restaurant is nestled into the tight, windy streets of Tel Aviv's trendiest neighborhood, Neve Tzedek.
My incredible hostess ensured that we got seats on the outdoor patio, which is tucked away behind the main dining room and coffee bar.
The patio was blooming with herbs, flowers and plants.
Along the far side of the outdoor space they have a row of two top tables, perfect for people sipping coffee solo or whipping out laptops.
Of all the outdoor decor, my favorite was the potted plants.
They are literally in kitchen pots!
We had a very friendly waitress who delivered us menus in both Hebrew and English. I was overwhelmed by all the amazing choices!
My breakfast date ordered the fresh squeezed orange juice.
It was at this moment I discovered what would become my go-to drink in Israel, limonana. The drink is a frozen blend of lemonade and fresh mint leaves. Hello.
I had another first at this meal, my first ever chai latte. Holy mother. How had I never tasted this before? Since I don't drink coffee and I only like certain kinds of tea, I just assumed I was not a hot drink person. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Since coming home I have ordered chai lattes in two places in America and so far neither has compared.
To start, we shared the breakfast pastry plate which came with more spreads than breads! We tried to sample each and every combination, but didn't want to spoil our appetite for the main course.
My friend ordered a custom breakfast, choosing scrambled eggs with fresh herbs. This came with a side salad (Israelis are very into salad with breakfast).
I decided on the egg frittata which arrived in a giant portion size. It was basically a pizza topped with pesto, feta cheese, sunflower leaves and two bright yellow eggs.
Look at that masterpiece!
The pesto flavor was a bit strong for the first meal of the day, but once you cut into the egg and the bright yellow yoke coated the pizza, it was divine.
If you find yourself in the city of Tel Aviv, I highly recommend Meshek Barzilay. The outdoor patio is so relaxing, the staff are friendly and attentive and the food is as fresh as can be. Plus, after the meal you can shop in Neve Tzedek and then walk to the beach. What could be better?
