Two new suburban restaurants: Republic in Hod Hasharon and Shastel in Ra’anana.
By BUZZY GORDONRepublic(photo credit: PR)
Republic, from the owners of the upscale Social Club in Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean restaurant Kalamata in Jaffa, is the first restaurant in Hod Hasharon to have a hip, yuppie vibe, with almost equal emphasis on alcohol, wine and food. This modern brasserie also boasts a premium sound system, with a DJ several times a week.Republic offers eight highly creative specialty cocktails (NIS 39-46). The Republic Sour, for example, is a blend of gin, Martini Bianco, cherry liqueur, fresh ginger, homemade raspberry syrup and lemon juice, with raspberry foam and ground coconut, garnished with a white jasmine flower. The drink looks like it appeals to one’s feminine side, but it still manages to pack quite a punch.The Bitter Truth, meanwhile – Campari, gin, lemon juice, fresh orange, passion fruit and red grapefruit sorbet, garnished with a maraschino cherry – is a tall, refreshing highball.The food menu is not extensive, but it represents good variety: six appetizers, four pasta dishes, four salads and nine main courses, of which five fish and seafood dishes are listed separately, while the two beef and two poultry dishes are grouped together. There are not a lot of vegetarian/vegan choices, but enough that a vegetarian would not go hungry.One of these options is grilled asparagus with Parmesan fondue, almond crumble and argan oil (NIS 48). This originative dish starring fresh, green, al dente asparagus is a great way to get your vegetables.The Italian paella (NIS 92) was recommended to us as one of Republic’s signature dishes: saffron rice studded with seafood, sausage and sun-dried tomatoes – a savory potpourri of ingredients that added up to somewhat less than the sum of its parts.From Europe to Asia: The lettuce wraps are stuffed with Korean chicken, peanuts and fresh herbs (NIS 54). The expertly seasoned chicken enveloped in crisp, cool lettuce turned out to be our favorite dish of the evening.The filet mignon (NIS 140) in red wine sauce was served with green beans and mashed potatoes. The steak, grilled exactly as ordered, was a perfectly acceptable version of a classic.The beautiful desserts at Republic practically stole the show from the other categories of the food menu. The giant-sized cream puffs drenched in rich chocolate sauce were positively decadent.Republic is a fresh, welcome addition to the culinary scene in a suburb not known for lively nightlife.RepublicNot kosher24 Hanagar St.Hod HasharonTel: (09) 887-8800 Shastel: A new face on an old favorite Makom Balev is a well-known place in Ra’anana: a pastoral oasis practically in the heart of the city, a popular venue for events and celebrations. While the bucolic compound retains its name, it is now also home to a rebranded restaurant: Shastel, belonging to the family of the same name that have owned and operated the landmark for decades.Shastel serves what it calls “agricultural cuisine.” The food comes either directly from the restaurant’s own organic garden or is sourced locally from boutique growers and suppliers.The food menu is bilingual, but the wine and cocktails lists are in Hebrew only – except for the names of the four specialty cocktails (NIS 36-42). The Alegria – vodka, pineapple, strawberry, lemon and soda, garnished with mint – is quite sweet, while Drambuie Fresh – Drambuie, sour mix, lemon and soda, garnished with mint – is dominated by the whiskey-andhoney liqueur.There are four vegan appetizers and plenty for vegetarians to eat.For starters, the owner served us his three recommendations, accompanied by the house focaccia (NIS 18), which is actually in the form of plump, fluffy bread sticks, served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and a zesty black olive tapenade.The whole eggplant (NIS 46), according to our host, had been picked less than an hour before it was roasted. Bathed in olive oil and quality tehina, the fleshy vegetable had an excellent smoky flavor.Particularly impressive was the huge head of cauliflower baked in the wood-fired stone oven to an appetizing hue of golden brown (NIS 59). Drizzled with tehina and served with a side of tomato salsa, the taste lived up to its appearance.The two vegetables were accompanied by mildly hot peppers that had been very gently pickled. Once again, the extreme freshness of the peppers added an unmistakable dimension to the experience.The fresh figs with Brinza cheese, walnuts and honey was a summer dish we could not resist.The ripe fruit, salty cheese and crunchy nuts added up to a winning interplay of flavors and textures. Unfortunately, an excess of honey tipped the scale from pleasingly sweet to cloying. If you order this dish, ask for the honey to be served on the side.As main courses, we ordered the fillet of trout (NIS 119) and the entrecôte (NIS 129), each of which came with a generous helping of fresh seasonal vegetables.Regrettably, both the fish and the steak suffered from a heavy hand with the spices. Moreover, key elements of each dish as listed on the menu – fennel confit and bone marrow, respectively – were missing from our plates, with no warning from the waiter.A holdover from the previous restaurant is the dedicated pastry chef, whose New York-style cheesecake with white chocolate frosting (NIS 38) is also a legacy from Shastel’s predecessor. Not too dense and not too light, it was a velvety delight.ShastelNot kosher5 Pardes Meshutaf,Ra’ananaTel: 072-395-1172The writer was a guest of the restaurants.
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