"We decided to try the lasagna. The esteemed dish arrived at the table spilt into two individual servings, but could easily have satisfied three…" Nadav Avidan loved Osishken Rest Café, a simple, pretence free, kosher dairy café, that isn't trying to re-invent the wheel.
There is something about the sea that calms me. I always find myself recommending it as a place of serenity for moments of stress, even to friends in periods of utter panic. And that's how it was with Shiran the day before a life defining exam, when I sensed hysteria bubbling up through the surface of her normalcy. "Straight to the sea" I declared, and 2 hours later, opposite a Tel Aviv sunset, bits of color make their way back to Shiran's cheeks. We decided to finish off the evening with a light meal on our stroll home, and that is how we discovered Osishken Rest Bar.
Osishken Rest Cafe, a kosher dairy café, isn't about taking us to the moon and back, and that sits well with Shiran and I. Everything is warm and simple, from the design to the atmosphere, without any of the annoying, unnecessary pretension. We chose a nice corner, received our menus, and started enjoy. Before anything else, 2 glasses of juice, to get back some of what we lost at the sea – there is nothing like fresh juice to get the heart beating again. Then, we ordered the breakfast for 2. Even though it was evening, there is something about breakfast that makes me feel healthy, even when it consists of nothing more than pancakes.
In this case, the breakfast is the very embodiment of health – 2 plates arrive at the table, upon which sit matching herb omelettes that are certainly enough to satisfy, (unlike those breakfasts for 2 in which you have to eat off the same place, in addition to leaving hungry), accompanied by green salad. Alongside the plates, 2 baskets of bread are placed, one with brown bread and the other with white, as well as an assortment of spreads including: tapenade, tehina, butter, cream cheese, and apricot jam. All the spreads, as well as the entire menu (with the exception of the butter and cheese) are made on site. There is nothing else to say about that, other than the fact that this is clearly evident in the taste
During our evening breakfast, we had a conversation with Zohar, one of the café's owners, who told us that the café also offers a variety of other dishes especially for 2. Given its extremely warm recommendation, we decided to try the lasagna. The esteemed dish arrived at the table spilt into two individual servings, but could easily have satisfied three (or so complained Shiran). On each piece, a spicy pepper sauce had been generously poured. We both liked the lasagna, even though half way through it was revealed to us that we could have requested less sauce.
Afterwards, in denial of the fact that we had just eaten an extremely serious portion of lasagna, not to mention that before that we'd also worked our way through a breakfast for 2, we hurriedly ordered dessert – cheesecake and a granola health cake, both of which are made on the premises. With them, Shiran got her coffee, made by Dada, who appear to know what they are doing based on her reaction, and I went with iced coffee which also turned out to a rewarding gamble.
At the end of the evening, Shiran and I agreed on a simple truth – you don’t have to re-invent the wheel in order to find a warm, intimate and enjoyable atmosphere, good food, and simplicity. And it's maybe just that, which sets Osishkin Rest Café apart.
52 HaYarkon St., at the corner of 7 Allenby St., Tel Aviv
077-9525580
