HaRoeh Bacafe: Rustic dining in a beautiful setting
Perusing the English menu (which as far as I could see was devoid of English-language howlers, rare in Israel), I decided to let my hair down and order a cocktail (NIS 25).
By GLORIA DEUTSCHHaRoeh Bacafe(photo credit: ALEX DEUTCH)
For a pleasant dining experience, three elements are essential: good food (obviously, duh!) a beautiful setting and top-notch service.The restaurant at Kfar Haroeh ticks all the boxes. The bucolic surroundings of the luxuriant gardens of the moshav provide the setting; the young and enthusiastic waitstaff plus a hands-on manager ensure the service is good; and, as to the food, it proved to be a gourmet meal with original dishes, perfectly prepared and presented.A jug of iced water and two glasses appeared as soon as we sat down. Perusing the English menu (which as far as I could see was devoid of English-language howlers, rare in Israel), I decided to let my hair down and order a cocktail (NIS 25).The Frisbee, a variation of the screwdriver, was a vodka and fruit concoction, bright orange in color and with a satisfying kick. My companion’s liquid refreshment was a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon (NIS 25).For starters my partner chose the labaneh with a garnish of cherry tomatoes. The yogurt, cheesy mix was a great example of the genre, mild, very fresh and creamy (NIS 36).My choice was artichoke confit and red pepper dips with crusty garlic bread. The dips were certainly original – the artichoke was a kind of pâté with the subtle flavor of the vegetable instantly recognizable. The other dip was spicy and dominated by the flavor of the red pepper with a faint chili edge to it. The combination of these two strong flavors with the garlic bread was exceptional (NIS 28).For his main course my dining companion chose whole baked sea bream perched on a bed of tossed vegetables. Perfectly cooked to the right texture, every edible piece of fish was picked from the bones with surgical precision, a sight to behold. One could say of this sea bream, like Shakespeare’s Thane of Cawdor, that “nothing in his life became him like the leaving of it” (NIS 102).I chose the mushroom lasagna, a notable comfort food, with layers of pasta, a rich mushroom sauce and melted cheese topping. Heaven! (NIS 59).A small side salad accompanied each main course, filled with the usual suspects, in a mild vinaigrette.We were going to share a dessert until I spotted the crème brûlée and decided I wanted it all to myself. And, indeed, it did not disappoint – a rich creamy custard topped with crispy burnt sugar, one of the best I have ever had (NIS 38).Alex settled for a huge Danish pastry (NIS 21), and enjoyed this with a postprandial cappuccino (NIS 14).The whole evening was a delight, and we definitely plan to revisit Haroeh Bacafe. Very soon.HaRoeh BacafeEmek Hefer RabbinateRoute 4, between Netanya and HaderaTel. (04) 625-1451Open: Sun.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri., 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat. night – one hour after Shabbat till 11:30 p.m.The writer was a guest of the restaurant.
