No, this is not an article about a very popular British TV series of yesteryear. It’s about Reim Bistro (re’im means “friends”), a kosher restaurant on the border of Bnei Brak and Tel Aviv. It has been attracting large numbers of people for its innovative take on dairy dining.
Pizza and pasta are there, of course, but also some very enticing fish dishes, salads, and homemade versions of popular spreads such as tehina.
We were received by head chef and restaurateur Idan Tauber, whose youthful appearance belies the fact that he has spent many years in the food industry.
The restaurant has several different eating areas. We were shown into The Lounge, a more exclusive room off the main restaurant, where diners can enjoy quiet background music of the Sinatra/Louis Armstrong type, good lighting, and fresh flowers on the snow-white linen tablecloths.
Digging in
For starters, my dining companion chose his favorite, tzatziki (NIS 28), made from Greek yogurt, garnished with olive oil and herbs. This version came on a bed of arugula leaves and was pronounced “as good as any I have ever had.”
My starter was a dish of fish cigars (written as “sea-gar” on the menu). The coating was paper-thin crispy pastry, filled with chunks of spicy white fish. For dipping, tehina was provided; and this, we were told, is homemade in the restaurant kitchen.
A bread basket also arrived at our table, filled with fresh, home-baked whole wheat slices with thick crusts and a garlicky lemon dip, the whole dish proving to be a delicacy.
We left the rest of the menu to Tauber and had no idea what would be coming to the table.
A very large salad, Panzanella, arrived. Among the many ingredients were cherry tomatoes, purple onion, mozzarella, and croutons rather than the traditional soggy bread. Gratitude for that.
Two main courses then appeared. One was tortellini pasta with portobello mushrooms and Parmesan in a rich fresh cream sauce (NIS 91).
The other dish was ceviche of sea bass mixed with cut grapes and more cream (NIS 71).
Both dishes were mouthwateringly delicious.
I drank a glass of Chardonnay from the Carmel Winery, which complemented the dairy food (NIS 61), and my companion enjoyed an ice-cold beer (NIS 31).
We rounded off this excellent meal with tiramisu and chocolate cake, both enhanced with masses of fresh cream (all desserts NIS 55).
My companion also enjoyed a very good strong cappuccino to ensure he would be wide awake for the drive home.■
Reim Bistro
4 Bar Kochva St.
Bnei Brak
Tel: 077-997-3035
Hours: Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sat., 7 p.m.-11 p.m.
Kashrut: Mehadrin, Rav Machpud
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.