25 years of culinary art on one plate: O restaurant by Tomer Agay

For a decade, chef Tomer Agay led Santa Catarina, a restaurant located in the Great Synagogue plaza on Allenby Street in Tel Aviv. In 2024, the restaurant closed, and Agay recently joined the Avidan Group, owned by brothers Raz, Idan, and Mor Avidan. The group owns restaurants and bars in Tel Aviv, Hod Hasharon, Givatayim, and Kiryat Ono. Agay and the Avidans launched O Restaurant last December. Agay takes diners on a journey through 25 years of culinary experience, blending dishes from Asian and European kitchens while adding a New York touch - all updated with a unique local twist.

The location chosen by the Avidan brothers is nothing short of iconic. The restaurant was established in the legendary spot of the long-standing Max Brenner Chocolate Bar. The space was designed by Mor Avidan, who gave the round building a new life and contemporary interpretation. The seating bar surrounds the open kitchen, allowing comfortable and spacious seating. Behind it, there is a ring of tables and various seating options, with another ring of outdoor seating.

The design emphasizes clean lines with retro elements featured in the flooring, the transparent brick cladding around the bar, and the wine cabinet. All of this is combined with modern furniture and elements, and a round ceiling that provides a sense of space and excellent acoustics. On the central wall next to the bar, a piece by artist Rami Meiri depicts Rothschild Boulevard in his unique Tel Aviv style. Along the long corridor leading to the kitchen, the Avidans created a sort of solo exhibition of Meiri’s works displayed along the wall.

We arrived in the evening and the place was full. We sat down, opened the menu, and discovered it is mostly dedicated to seafood lovers, with only two meat options and some leafy salads to freshen things up. We started with a bread dish served with Labaneh Rajab, Arava cherry confit, olive oil, and spicy Habanero pepper (NIS 36). The basket included several types of fresh, addictive bread that were a perfect base for the tangy Labaneh and the spicy pepper oil.

We continued with a crispy greens dish that included pak choi, zucchini, watermelon radish, and kohlrabi in a yogurt vinaigrette with green oil, black sesame, and shata (NIS 68). Although the dish’s name didn’t sound particularly promising, the combination of crisp, fresh vegetables, carefully prepared, made it a particularly successful dish. The freshness was further enhanced by the three-lettuce Gradsmit dish, which included Lalique lettuce, red lettuce, and Baby Gem, Granny Smith apple, Manchego truffle cheese, and Caesar dressing with pickled jalapeño and yuzu (NIS 72). The combination of crispy greens, tart apple, and spicy jalapeño created a particularly tasty dish.

Next came the Josper baby corn dish, which included king oyster mushrooms, truffle, and white corn (NIS 74). Here, the combination of flavors and the balance between the sweetness of the corn and the deep flavors of the mushrooms created a dish we loved. At this point, we stepped up and chose the Gnocchi Blanc Bar - a handmade gnocchi with a velvety white sauce and blueberries, offering a sweet-and-tart twist.