A new kosher eatery in Ra’anana is always cause for celebration, and this one has many attractive features. It’s situated on the edge of the industrial area, within spitting distance of the Renanim Mall.
The restaurant is spacious, with glass windows looking out onto busy Ra’anana streets. Plenty of thought seems to have gone into the décor, with a dark gray leather banquette in addition to wooden tables and chairs.
One entire wall is decorated with a collection of Israeli artifacts – coffee grinders, kitchen scales, even an old pestle and mortar, lanterns – all nicely polished and evocative of the Israel of yesteryear.
The menu is minimalistic – one laminated sheet, with drinks on one side and food on the other.
A minimalistic menu
The gifted barman, Ronen, brought us predinner drinks – a powerful margarita for me, while my companion indulged in his new passion for brown ale. I was impressed to see that my glass had been salted on one side only – really thoughtful.
Since the menu is so brief – a positive element since there is no need to rack your brains as to what to choose – we just took whatever our waiter, Peter (son of the owner), decided to bring.
Everyone in the restaurant seems to start their meal with the same three items – pulled smoked beef on toasted focaccia, with tehina and olives on the side. The meat is faintly smoked, hot, and the dish makes for a perfect starter to get the taste buds tingling (NIS 26).
After this the choices are: asado, (NIS 90), chicken (NIS 75) brisket (NIS 90), mix half-kilo (NIS 190), mix kilo (NIS 375). There is also a vegetarian option for NIS 60.
Sides are charged separately, NIS 15 for fries, salad or potatoes.
I chose the chicken, and my companion the asado. While we waited for our main courses, we were visited by proprietor Igor Bilich, whose perfect Hebrew belied the fact that he has been in Israel only a year and a half. But as we have all observed, the Russian olim seem extremely gifted in language, among other things.
“It was always my dream to open a smokehouse,” Igor says, and insists we go and take a look at it. The kitchen is very clean, and the smokehouse an impressive piece of equipment.
The main courses are served on wooden boards, very attractively presented with additions of cubed eggplant, chimichurri, garlic and red pepper. On the side are two salads, beetroot and green, both lightly seasoned and very fresh.
The chicken and meat were succulent and tender, with only a faint touch of smokiness.
Standard french fries came separately in greaseproof paper, with ketchup and mayo on the side, and there was another dish of cubed paprika potatoes. The very generous amount of food was impossible to finish.
We asked about desserts and were told that they were not yet organized, but very soon they would be able to offer a variety of sweet courses. To end our meal they conjured up some pineapple slices covered in toasted almonds.
Before leaving we met the third member of the Bilich family, Vera, Igor’s wife, busy in the kitchen.
Slow and Bro is a family enterprise with good food and a very friendly ambience – definitely an asset to the Ra’anana kosher scene.
Slow and Bro5 Hata’asiya StreetRa’ananaTel. (09) 765-9999Open: Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Fri., 10 a.m.-3 p.m.Kashrut: Ra’anana RabbinateWheelchair accessible.
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.