A meal at Ethnika just might please the two of you: while you'll be enjoying a kosher restaurant that's actually good, he'll finally get his Hummus
You take your man to top restaurants, but what he really loves is Hummus and chocolate mousse. A meal at Ethnika just might please the two of you: while you'll be enjoying a kosher restaurant that's actually good, he'll finally get his Hummus.
Ethnika resides in the large space where Mifgash Hasteak restaurant used to be, at the heart of the High-Tec area in Herzlia, but its space has been changed dramatically. The well planned design uses the elevated height beautifully, original illumination bodies are installed and the space is well divided into bar, lounge with couches, family tables area and small intimate tables area. Oriental touch is provided by wall ornaments, large copper trays and finjan pots scattered around.
Ethnika's menu combines several ethnic cuisines, while emphasizing the importance of home cooked food. My man doesn't think twice before ordering the hummus, which is served in a deep clay ball with hot chick peas and garlic and lemon sauce. It is one of the best he has ever had. The small pita breads that come with it were baked in the restaurant's big Tabun oven. The same Tabun also produced the focaccia on which laid my Lahmacun, pride of the Turkish cuisine: it was cut open and generously stuffed with an aromatic mixture of chopped beef and lamb, added with green tahini and tomato salsa. Another popular dish is the liver duet – chopped mixture of chicken and goose liver with accented tastes, which was served on Tabun bread with fruit marmalade on the side.
To choose our main course we get Ethnika's manager's Nir's assistance. We learn from him that the Ethnik'as chef used to work at El-Barbur mythological restaurant, and that the man in charge of the meat in the restaurant comes from a family of renowned butchers.
My properly rare and juicy butcher's cut is served on roasted eggplant puree, demonstrating Ethnika's great capabilities where meat is concerned. Nevertheless, it was succumbed by the Ossobuco that got our taste buds working even as we read its description: "lamb thigh and root vegetables slow-cooked in a sauce or red wine, honey and cardamom, laid on a bed of potatoes". Every word is true, plus browned color, sweet-spicy taste and soft meat that melts in the mouth. Not only did we eagerly finish the Ossobuco and the mashed potatoes bed that absorbed the rich sauce, I couldn't even resist nibbling on the greasy leftovers that remained close to the bone, as they contain the most concentrated lamb taste. A bland of merlot-shiraz-cabernet by Yatir, full bodied with long, balanced ending went very well with our dishes.
As I promised my man, Ethnika serves chocolate mousse for dessert. This too, like the entire meal, is made perfectly – airy, chocolaty, and goes well with our decorated glasses of mint tea. So - my man is very pleased, as am I.
