Our sentiments lie these days with the protesters on Rothschild Avenue. So
naturally when some politicians called them “spoiled nargillasmoking
sushi-eating babies,” we decided it was time for us to show our solidarity by
returning to one of the best local Japanese restaurants, Kyoto, in the Herzliya
Pituah business district.
A few years back, Kyoto was the first to take
Israelis’ enthusiasm about sushi a step further, creating a Japanese
gourmet-fusion cuisine that appeals to sushi addicts, as well as more Western
palates. The everchanging menu offers diverse high-quality Japanese style dishes
and many original ones. Kyoto chef Daniel Schalit, who mastered his Asian
cooking abilities at the famed Nobo restaurant in New York, creates an
incomparable fusion of traditional Japanese cuisine with the unique flavors of
Mediterranean cuisine. The superb, unconventional blend of flavors, colors and
cultures make Kyoto one of the leading Japanese restaurants in the
country.
A recent renovation provided the restaurant with an elegant
decor, utilizing Japanese natural materials such as dark wood, bamboo and stone,
and dividing the dining area into separate areas – a private VIP room for small
parties, intimate seating areas, a main dining area, a bar and an outdoor dining
area.
Japanese culture is well known for its hospitality, and we were
treated with a fine example of that hospitality by the attentive and
knowledgeable staff.
We started our Oriental adventure with a not very
Asian cocktail, the strawberry mojito (NIS 39), a red and sweet but delicious
version of the Latino cocktail, and a cold noodle salad (NIS 33), followed by
samples of the restaurant’s wonderful specials. These included an excellent
seared tuna dish with sesame; a tuna tempura dish called the Blue Lagoon tuna;
and a plate of new style sashimi that had slices of marinated tuna and salmon in
panzo sauce. The specials really capture the essence of Japanese cuisine –
light, meticulous, fresh and healthy food that is presented in the most artistic
way. We loved all of them.
After a short break and a pot of Japanese
green tea, we had the sushi and sashimi combination for two, which really was
enough for three (NIS 187). Since we didn’t finish it, the waitress offered to
pack a take-away bag.
As we looked around the restaurant, we discovered
that as the hours went by, the crowds became younger and hipper, and the music
more alive, especially in the vicinity of the vast bar, which seemed to be a
popular hangout for the affluent Herzliya youth.
Two desserts that were
brought to our table were too tempting to resist. We sampled the tricolored
chocolate mousse, which was very pretty and very good. We knew it would be
appreciated by chocolate lovers but it was too rich for us, especially after the
meal we had. The other dessert, a perfect apple pie with ice cream and berries,
was the perfect closing accord for a perfect meal.
The writer was a guest
of the restaurant.
Kyoto Not kosher 7 Arie Shenkar St., Herzliya Tel:
(09) 958-7770 Sun-Thur. 12 noon until last customer. Fri - Sat 1 p.m. until last
customer. www.kyoto.co.il