Petach-Tikva, Kosher 'Patrick Rooftop' to open its ninth branch

“I decided to do something else with my life,” says the 53-year old-Naim, who is enjoying every moment being a publican instead of sitting in front of a screen.

By GLORIA DEUTSCH
Patrick opens (photo credit: DANIEL LAYLA)
Patrick opens
(photo credit: DANIEL LAYLA)
Relations between Ireland and Israel are not as friendly as in the past but that doesn’t stop the Irish pub scene in Israel being wildly popular. Patrick’s, a chain of Irish pubs and restaurants has just opened its ninth branch in the staid old “Em Hamoshavot” (mother of the settlements) in Petach Tikva.
Crowds of young Israelis were downing pint after pint of beer (27 different draft beers available) and other alcoholic drinks while the seven television screens in the sprawling rooftop bar showed a football match. We had come to sample the food which consisted of a full kosher meat menu; this is Israel after all, not Dublin or Belfast, so food shares equal importance with the drink.
We decided to open our meal with a shared starter of sticky chicken wings. It’s a dish which is difficult to get wrong, given the fact that chicken fat and sugary sauce make a delicious if unhealthy combination. These were literally “fingerlickin’ good,” and, although my dining companion is one of the few people who can get every edible morsel from the wing with a knife and fork, we both decided these wings were worth eating with the hands. Fortunately, the management provided a large helping of wipers along with the food.
While waiting for our main courses, we chatted to Tsachi Naim, the owner of Patrick’s Rooftop, who, until becoming a restaurateur a few weeks before, had been in hi-tech.
“I decided to do something else with my life,” says the 53-year old-Naim, who is enjoying every moment being a publican instead of sitting in front of a screen. He does not advertise but the place is full of young people, thanks to Facebook and other social media.
The menu was put together by a well-known chef, Avi Na’aman Luxemburg, and offers a large variety of meat, fish and vegetarian options. My companion ordered an entrecote steak with potato puree while I chose the more healthy option of a vegetarian hamburger with salad. The steak seemed to have hit the spot, being consumed with alacrity as was the puree – the plate looked as though it did not need washing. My vegeburger was delicious – a winning combination of lentils, seitan and mushrooms served with a very good salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and hot pepper.
Feeling fairly replete by now, we decided to share a dessert and went for the apple tart with sorbet (NIS 39). This was more than enough for two – a crispy shortbread crust filled with chunks of tart apples and topped with streusel. The only downer was that we waited an inordinately long time for our mint teas and when they came they were served in beer mugs! Even worse, the restaurant could not find any sweetener. But these are clearly teething troubles which eventually will be sorted out. Naim and his team are determined to make a success of Patrick’s Rooftop.
Patrick’s Rooftop,
Kosher
Totseret Ha’ arets 4. Petach-Tikva. 03 5277070
Open: Sun.-Thurs. 18.30 to 1.a.m. Friday – Closed.
Motsei Shabbat – 1 hour after Shabbat until 1 a.m.
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.