“We decided to start with the gravlax. The salmon was not the typical dill heavy dish, but a simple tasty home cured salmon served in a generous portion on a small dish with capers and toasty bread…” Rachel Wagner discovers more than meets the eye at Pollock, a stylish new café on Ben Yehuda Street in Tel Aviv.
Chic clean lines, a cozy second floor gallery and walls adorned with the photographs of a young artist. Is there finally a café worth visiting on Ben Yehuda Street?
Café Pollock has recently come to Ben Yehuda’s rescue with a café option that will appeal to tourist and local alike. The name (after painter Jackson) begs the question of art community connections. The answer: in addition to the current photography exhibit, the café boasts poetry nights, rotating exhibitions and the possibility of small concerts.
The spacious airy space spread out over 2 levels is a classic Tel Aviv café with free wireless internet and great coffee (Pollock chose to go with Dada, a brand of locally roasted coffee from a moshav north of the country), but Café Pollock goes that small step further in a couple key areas: first and foremost, the food.
On the night my colleague and I convened our monthly meeting, Pollock had been open just over a week. Impressed by a few interest-sparking stars on the paired down menu (a relatively short list of sandwiches, salads, quiches and breakfasts), we decided to start with the gravlax. The salmon was not the typical dill heavy dish, but a simple tasty home cured salmon served in a generous portion on a small dish with capers and toasty bread. From there we moved on to another standout dish, the beet and mozzarella salad elegantly dressed in nothing more than a little olive oil, balsamic and sea salt. Rounding out our meal was the sweet potato quiche, a round and rich little portion tasty to the last bite of crisp crust.
As a couple of freelancing ladies, we took some time to find out a little more about Pollock’s ‘Friend’s Club’ before dessert. Essentially, Pollock is taking the increasingly popular freelancer café-cum-office to the next level by making it more official. Freelancer’s needn’t feel bad nursing their cappuccinos for 2 hours and then asking the waiter to print something – printing, faxing, photocopying, table reservation and more are all available for members. As someone with various makeshift ‘café-offices’ around the city, this friend club was sounding like a great idea.
Before calling our meeting to a close, we ended with a lovely fruit tart and an americano and cappuccino. Checking out the cozy looking table right next to an electrical outlet across the room, I was already planning my return for work the next morning.
Café Pollock
43 Ben Yehuda Street, Tel Aviv
Tel: 03-5238414
www.cafepollock.co.il
