Gotcha!

For fish aficionados, the Goocha seafood chain of restaurants in Tel Aviv is a good catch of the day – any day of the week.

By SARA JONES
goocha fish_521 (photo credit: Courtesy)
goocha fish_521
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Goocha is a chain of three very pleasant fish and seafood restaurants in the Tel Aviv area. It is known for its reasonable prices, good seafood and friendly ambiance.
Most of the dishes are the same in all three places, but the atmosphere varies from one branch to the other. We visited the Ibn Gvirol branch, which is very spacious and has a dark, polished decor.
On the Thursday evening we ate there, the atmosphere was very upbeat. There is a large bar in the center – that is packed on weekend nights – and seating areas inside and on the sidewalk.
The staff is very kind and attentive. The only problem we encountered as we tried to listen to explanations about the specials of the day was the music. It was so loud that we couldn’t hear what our kind waitress was saying and had to ask the management to lower the volume. They did for a minute and then turned it up again. They said it was “drinking” night and were expecting young crowds at the bar and wanted to boost the party atmosphere. To be honest, it’s a recurring problem we have at many eateries in Tel Aviv, so maybe we are the problem.
I had my heart set on the red seared tuna with black sesame appetizer (NIS 37) and was not disappointed. It was excellent. My partner selected one of the new appetizers on the menu – the sea fish carpaccio (NIS 43), which was very good – and a dish of five skewered shrimps wrapped in smoked goose breast (NIS 53), which we were told is one of the local favorites.
For the main dish we had fish fillet in curry over white rice and vegetables (NS 55) and a large dish of grilled shrimps (NIS 49), which was excellent. This is definitely a seafood place. Brits who miss their fish and chips swear by the local version.
The desserts are quite famous at Goocha. If you have a sweet tooth, go for the Belgian waffle (gofra). It’s supposed to be excellent. We chose the creme brulee, which is my favorite dessert.
The restaurant is very popular, so make reservations or you might find yourself standing outside waiting for a table.
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.
Goocha, Not kosher, Open: Sun-Sat noon to 2 a.m.
14 Rehov Ibn Gvirol Tel: (03) 522-2886; (03) 691-1603