Fully sated and duly impressed

Carnivores and vegetarians alike can eat to their heart’s content at Arnold’s kosher restaurant in the North.

By ROBERT WAGNER
Arnold's (photo credit: Courtesy)
Arnold's
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The last thing one would expect to find in a remote moshav in the North is a Top 10 award winning kosher restaurant. Among those living the quiet life away from the bustle of the city is chef Uri, proprietor of Arnold’s kosher gourmet restaurant. This September marks its fifth anniversary. Thanks to its popularity, a second restaurant is slated to open in March in Ramat Yishai.
A meticulously landscaped garden leads you to the large log cabin style building with its covered terrace and indoor seating for 100. The outdoor patio can seat 200 for special events, which Arnold’s hosts on a regular basis.
Inside, the woodsy décor is warm and comfortable. Soft music plays in the background so one can have a conversation in a normal tone of voice. From the moment you walk in the door, you feel completely relaxed and at home.
The notion that kosher food can never be as good as non-kosher is immediately disproved at Arnold's.
Chef Uri’s talent for melding his gourmet touch with hearty standard fare is a winner.
“Immaleh, that was good food!” was heard from people leaving after their meal, whether they were wearing a kippa or not.
The Israeli wine list is adequate, but don’t overlook Arnold’s beer. Brewed by the chef himself for exclusive consumption by the customers, Arnold’s beer was the most impressive liquid surprise of the evening. A rich caramel-colored medium Pilsner with a hearty 8.8 percent alcohol content proved an excellent summer beverage, with full-bodied flavor and no bitter aftertaste. It was the perfect accompaniment to the meat-filled menu.
Following the chef’s suggestion, we opted for the tasting menu Within minutes of being seated, arriving as ceremoniously as a colorful Olympic delegation, appeared an eclectic mix of savory dishes. The zesty North Atlantic quinoa and cranberry salad accentuated the crustiness of the freshly baked focaccia, which in turn brought out the best flavors of the meshawshe; a grainy, warm homemade humous.
French cream of eggplant, Egyptian spiced cherry tomatoes and miniature lamb kebabs on a bed of tehina rounded out an exquisite offering of world cuisine.
If you are dining with vegetarians, they will find themselves fully sated and duly impressed. As a bonus, they will receive a passion fruit sorbet tinged with a hint of rosewater. For the carnivore, this is only a refreshing palate cleanser in preparation for the feast to come.
Arnold’s is renowned for its meat dishes, and they do not disappoint.
It takes a chef with great selfconfidence to serve foie gras over caramelized toast, veal sweetbreads lightly seared and an interesting chicken and beef tortilla wrap, plated decorously in a teepee style, while impressing those diners who came expressly for the entrecote. Fowl lovers will appreciate the chicken livers and the medallions of goose breast on a fluffy bed of mashed sweet potatoes. The signature entrecote was grilled to perfection, served with oven-roasted yam and potato wedges.
At this point, those less rotund than myself and my culinary accomplice would happily have lain down on the green grass of the garden patio for a much-needed respite. But we refused to shirk our duty and soldiered on to sample a superb selection of parve desserts. If Kasher le’Mehadrin were not displayed clearly on the menu, one would swear that the dishes were made with 38% dairy cream. With justifiable pride, the chef divulged that all his desserts are produced on the premises.
Those visiting the North will agree that Arnold’s well deserves its Top 10 ranking of all kosher restaurants in the country.
For me, it is definitely number one in the North. Price per diner is NIS 130-180.
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.

Arnold’s (Kosher) Moshav Nativ Hashayara Nativ Hashayara
Tel: 057-944-3399 Sunday – Thursday, noon to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 4 p.m.


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