Adelina in Kibbutz Cabri, serves Spanish-Mediterranean cuisine in one of the nicest location
By NERIA BARRAdelina in Kibbutz Cabri (photo credit: Courtesy)
Adelina is one of the nicest restaurants not only in the Galilee, but in the country. Located in Kibbutz Cabri, near Nahariya, this veteran chef restaurant serves high-end Mediterranean cuisine with Spanish-Catalan influences as well as local ones.In a beautiful and rustic stone house, which once was the kibbutz assembly building, Adelina was established 15 years ago by Ilan Oppenheimer, a restaurateur and son of the founders of Nahariya’s legendary Penguin café. Penguin, which opened in the 1940s, served coffee and strudel to new immigrants from Germany in an atmosphere that made them feel at home.Adelina serves a rich menu of tapas, wonderfully rich meat and fish dishes, as well fantastic desserts. Many of the dishes are prepared in a taboun, a wood stove built in the middle of the main seating area. The wine list is good, comprised mainly of wines from boutique wineries in the Western Galilee. We arrived at Adelina early on a Friday evening – after reserving a table on the porch in the hopes of catching the sunset over the Mediterranean. The sky was clear and the sunset ravishing – what a start to the Shabbat meal. We ordered two glasses of dry white wine and examined the menu. The restaurant was quickly filling with families celebrating a birthday or an anniversary, couples on vacation, and locals who return here often.The restaurant staff services diners with expertise, warm smiles and welcome informality. The Spanish-Catalan influence is evident in the signature Tapas Tour opening dish for two that offers an opportunity to understand the chef’s culinary agenda.Tapas Tour is comprised of seven small-size cold and warm starters. They include eggplant cream with nigella, green salad; raw sea-fish carpaccio (delicious and a very pretty dish); a plate of artichoke, aioli and roasted almonds; an excellent beef carpaccio; as well as a vegetarian beetroot carpaccio with green apples, yuzu and Galilee cheese; and a Spanish-style pastry filled with beef stew and eggplant. The “Tour’ is served alongside freshly-baked bread and a few dips (NIS 132).It was a great beginning – I was already quite stuffed and almost decided to pass on the main dish, but our lovely server suggested we take our time – so we sat and enjoyed the last rays of sun, sipping our wine and enjoying the chance to have a quiet conversation, surrounded by the most romantic scenery.About 20 later, we were ready to have some more food.The main course offerings include beef, poultry, fish, seafood and vegetables. They are a work of art in the combination of fresh ingredients, including herbs and vegetables grown in the garden around the restaurant.I ordered the sea-fish fillet, roasted in lemongrass, and served with gnocchi and stir-fried vegetables – a very elegant dish that exceeded my expectations and was prepared to perfection (NIS 98). Across the table, my companion chose the roasted beef fillet in red-wine sauce with potato gratin (NIS 140). It was another elegant and hearty dish that he consumed with a lot of pleasure and a glass of red wine.Other starters include soup of the day (NIS 40), salads and full-size dishes from the tapas for two dish. Prices of the starters are around NIS 50.Other main-dish options include stir-fried chicken livers in Marsala wine and onion with freekeh (green smoked wheat) (NIS 78), herb and almond-crusted salmon fillet with mashed potato (NIS 105), Paella Marinara, with saffron rice and seafood (NIS220), roasted chicken with za’atar and mashed potatoes (NIS 86) and much more. The two vegetarian main courses served on the day we were there, were a dish of red wild rice with mushroom.Adelina is famous for its desserts and we just had to sample two before rolling downhill to our Nahariya hotel.I love crème brûlée, and here they serve the Catalan version – crèma Catalana which as perfect (NIS 36). Across the table, my companion could not resist Adelina’s Cnafe with vanilla mascarpone and seasonal fruit (NIS 46).The beautiful scenery, lovely atmosphere and excellent food make a visit to Adelina a must for foodies who happen to be in the Western Galilee, and even justify a special trip for a very special occasion.The restaurant is not kosher but I was told that kosher dishes may be ordered for groups if arranged beforehand. The place is easily accessible for wheelchairs and there is parking for buses. There is also a VIP room for groups of up to 14 people.Adelina, Kibbutz Cabri,Not kosherOpen Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. till the last guest leaves. Closed Sunday.www.adelina.org.il (Hebrew), Tel: 972-4-952-3707The writer was a guest of the restaurant and of the Ozrot Hagalil initiativewww.ozrothagalil.org.il
Related Tagskibbutzisraeli cuisine
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