Frame Chef & Sushi Bar serves fusion and cuisines of both hemispheres.
By BUZZY GORDONFrame Chef & Sushi Bar(photo credit: Courtesy)
In the heart of the concentration of hi-tech businesses in Ramat Hahayal sits Frame, a handsome restaurant and bar whose black and white décor is characterized by Japanese motifs. Just outside lies a similarly large al fresco section, sheltered from the street by greenery. Over the 16 years of its existence, Frame’s eclectic and versatile menu has been attracting office denizens for lunch, and a mixed crowd of young people and families in the evenings.As befits an establishment located in hi-tech territory, the menu is exclusively electronic, on rather clunky iPads. The menu is presented in no fewer than six languages; only the Hebrew version, however – and incrementally the English one – have enough detail to be considered satisfactorily complete.There are eight specialty cocktails (NIS 49), from which we chose two refreshing, Japanese-inspired creations that were just right for a warm summer’s ever: the Matcha Mojito – the classic rum and mint drink, accented with matcha tea – and Sangria Sake, traditional red sangria spiked with the famous rice spirit.Frame’s extensive food menu – which encompasses both Eastern and Western cuisines, as well as occasional fusion thereof – has been augmented this year by a new subsection called Collection 2019. The contemporary Collection comprises four categories: Starters (NIS 56-84); Sushi (NIS 58-84); Main Courses (NIS 56-110); and Desserts (NIS 29-69). Listed separately are vegan and gluten-free menus, as well as a children’s menu.Our first starter was the Tataki Butcher’s Cut – thin slices of medium-rare hanger steak, in a delicate soy-and-honey sauce that superbly enhanced the delicious meat. We would have been happy to enjoy this as a main course. Next were the Japan Tacos, small wedges of fried tortilla stuffed with tartare of three different fish: salmon, tuna and red drum. The waiter cautioned us that the dish is spicy; but it turned out that the raw fish was slathered in spicy mayonnaise and other seasonings that were not so much piquant as simply overwhelming.We shared our frustration with the waiter who, to his credit, was determined to remedy the situation. He swiftly brought us Maki Orr, the same fish featured in an inside-out sushi roll. This time, the exceedingly fresh raw fish was indeed the star of the dish, a fact that bodes well for the restaurant’s sushi menu. Our first main course was the Malaysian-style shrimp, a yellow-gold casserole redolent with prawns, lemongrass, bok choy, chili, fresh herbs and rice. It was a hearty and pleasing stew, made all the more satisfying by the knowledge that it is a rare treat to relish a Malaysian dish in Israel.Since there are only fish and seafood main courses on the Collection 2019 menu, we decided to revert to the main menu for our second main entrée. There were two intriguing steaks with Asian seasonings, of which we chose the filet mignon in a Szechuan marinade. The plump medallions were positively succulent, and the addition of optional foie gras really put this dish over the top.Looking to repeat the success that came from combining the two menus, we selected one dessert each from the Collection 2019 and main menus. The former yielded cheesecake with yuzu cream and almond crumble, with shards of red raspberry tuile plunged into the snow-white cake. It tasted as good as it looked.Still, it was the Frame Brûlée that stole the show: crème brûlée on chocolate ganache, with nougat and caramelized bananas. The thick disk of white brûlée perched on a bed of chocolate nemesis, surrounded by the extra sweets, provided a wonderful interplay of flavors and textures. Frame Chef & Sushi BarNot kosherSun-Wed, Sat: 12 noon-1:30 a.m.Thur, Fri: 12 noon-3 a.m.Raoul Wallenberg St. 2, Tel AvivTel. 03-649-8080, ext. 2.The writer was a guest of the restaurant.
