Situated in the Dan Hotel in North Tel Aviv, HaYarkon 99 offers a formal, classic and intimate dining experience. Shoshana Friedman tells a bit about this kosher dining establishment.
If you are interested in a formal classic dining experience then Hayarkon 99 is the place for you. Situated in the Dan Hotel in North Tel Aviv near the seashore, the dining area is small and intimate seating only up to fifty people. The set-up is quite elegant and exudes a sense of exclusivity due to the limited seating.
The restaurant is kosher and is clearly trying to emulate fine European dining by the service and courses offered. For an appetizer, I ordered the green asparagus tempura, served with asparagus cream and soft egg yolk. This was beautifully presented and the soft egg yolk gave the dish a nice touch. Overall, the tastes were very mild. Lindsay ordered the tuna tartar, served with tiny chopped cucumbers and radishes and a dusting of dried wasabi. The tuna was incredibly fresh and the seasoning mild enough to accentuate the natural deliciousness of the fish.
We were served two wines, one with our light appetizers and a more robust red to be paired with our entrees. The first was the Yarden Gewürztraminer, a crisp and refreshing white wine that excellently matched our appetizers. The next wine was the Barkan High-Altitude Cabernet Sauvignon, a red with a full-bodied taste that again perfectly complemented the meat dishes we ordered.
For the main entrees I decided to spoil myself with a 400 gram entrecote steak served with sautéed mushrooms and potatoes. The meat itself was very tasty but the side of potatoes did not meet the tone of the rest of the dish, from presentation to taste. The potatoes were served lukewarm and shaped into tiny balls that were deep fried and sprinkled with salt. The mushrooms were casually placed on the dish next to the entrecote. Generally I was very pleased with the meat but I thought that there could have been more creativity put into this classic dish. Lindsay ordered the pan-seared beef filet with crispy goose breast presented beautifully with potato squares topped with a brussel sprouts. Having ordered the filet medium rare, Lindsay noted that the dish was prepared exactly to her specifications and enjoyed devouring the cut.
I have to say that the dessert was the highlight of the meal. Our server recommended the natural tehini parfait with pistachios and cocoa beans, both a unique selection and one of the restaurant’s stellar offerings. The three-layered parfait was colorful, with a layer of pistachio cream, coffee cream and vanilla cream, surrounded by two sweet crunchy sesame crisps. This was the most successful parvé dessert that I have tasted thus far and I thought that the concept and tastes of the dish worked perfectly. Enjoying this with our warm mint tea was a pleasant way to close this classic and formal meal.
