Netanya’s City Market is undergoing a facelift and, just like Covent Garden in London, is turning itself into a tourist site rather than just a place to buy food and other products.
It has been around for nearly 70 years and we have many friends who like to shop there, attracted by the colorful displays of fruit and vegetables, the atmosphere of an authentic market, and the idiosyncratic vendors who run the stalls.
It’s full of ‘characters’ like Shimon the Iraqi, famous for his ‘meurav yerushalmi (Jerusalem mixed grill) in baguette, or his brother, Carmel, equally famous for his couscous.
We were invited to visit the shuk and sample the food at Hakuvsah by Ben Barak, a totally charming young Israeli who was appointed to oversee the reincarnation of the market into a gentrified relic of old Netanya, with trendy shops and attractive eateries.
Ben was just released from serving for a month and a half in the war and is very happy to be back at his job. The whole site is under his control and he has great plans to turn it into a leading tourist attraction in Netanya.
The Kuvsah
The Kuvsah, which means “the box” in English, is situated in one of the covered alleyways of the market, on a sloping street that climbs high above the city. The name will have great significance for local veteran Netanyatis (Netanya residents) as there used to be a small stadium, popularly known as “The Box,” long before the present stadium was built.
It was called “The Box” because of its unpretentious size and Ben is sure the name will appeal to the many fans of Maccabi Netanya who will soon be able to watch matches on a giant screen that will be installed at the restaurant.
The first food to arrive at our table was an open sandwich of avocado, chopped chili pepper, and arugula (rocket) leaves. The bread was pain de mie, a slice of French white bread with a thin crust and slightly sweet taste. It was nicely presented and the filling had been chopped up with a variety of spices and lemon (NIS 48).
The next dish we tasted was called chakluta (etymology unknown) and turned out to be a helping of labaneh topped with a hot sauce of cooked cherry tomatoes.
I liked the contrast between the cold labaneh and the hot sauce which was good and not over-spiced (NIS 55).
Finally, we tasted the ceviche made from chopped raw musar (Red Drum) fish in a lemony sauce with added tabasco and cubes of toast. Highly recommended (NIS 68).
Full marks to chef Vladi and the rest of the staff.
There are plans afoot to open a meat restaurant not far from the Kuvsah with caravans, already in place, to serve a variety of meat dishes. There’s also a dance floor and a small stage. The Netanya shuk is really going places.
- The Market
- 7 Israel Zangwill
- Netanya
- Kashrut: Netanya Rabbinate.
- Open: Monday-Thursday, 12 until last customer.
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.