A burger a day will keep the doctor away...I wish.

A few weeks ago, before my debilitating injury, a friend and I were contemplating our dinner options one night after heading back from test driving electric cars at an amazing Israeli company called, Better Place. They are integrating the first national system for electric cars in Israel. As Aaron and I sat on the bus together, still riveted from our driving experience (we had been out of the US for about 3 weeks at this point), we had a hankering for some meat. Sitting on our phones, we started googling burger joints in Tel Aviv. After finding a suitable list to go on, we started narrowing down based on location -- it was still about 94 and humid at night and we were not looking to sweat on the walk to dinner. After finding a solid review, and a mouth watering picture of a burger, we settled on a small chain called Agadir - with a location right down the street from our apartment. 

After jumping off the bus and freshening up a little, Aaron and I walked the 5 blocks or so to the restaurant, on Nachalat Binyamin. Opting for sitting inside in a ale house/pub sort of feeling decor, the restaurant also boasts an outdoor seating area that on my last two trips there, has been very nice. Seated on bar stools at a high table in the corner, our mouths started to water as we perused the menu. The review we had read said the Diana Burger - a patty of half lamb and half beef with tomatoes and aioli - was the way to go. Being a lover of lamb, I graciously accepted the task of ordering the Diana to fulfill my craving, adding the toppings of sauteed onions and mushrooms. Aaron opted for the sliders -- three mini beef burgers each smothered in a different topping of your choice (Aaron got guacamole and sautéed onions, I cannot remember the third). We decided on splitting an order of shoestring french fries as well.

Now let me tell you, I am a burger scholar. I have been eating the best cheeseburgers in the world since I could chew. My father, in one of his crafty ways to spoil me with the best food-wine-alcohol-cars-travel he could provide so I can never find a man to marry who can provide the same, has done an amazing job with serving me some of the most delicious burgers I have ever eaten. Kobe beef, lamb, spiced -- everything you can think of topped in countless sauces, cheesed and toppings...I've had it all. I have never been a fan of fast food, and pretty much refuse to eat beef unless it comes from a trusted source - leaving me to only enjoy In-and-Out and Shake Shack as fast food burger options. While Agadir does not in any way serve as fast food, the chain aspect relegates it into this realm somewhat. 

I have never had a burger like the Diana burger from Agadir in my life.

Let me say that again, NEVER have I had a burger like the one from Agadir.

The burger is a perfect balance of lamb and beef and spiced to perfection! The beef adds the classic burger taste, while the lamb adds a refinement and flavor level that is not like anything I have tasted before. Combined with the toppings (there are countless ones to choose from, including cheese AND bacon -- we later tried the bacon and were BIG fans), this burger was mouther watering and required to be cut to eat. The home made russian dressing added the perfect overflow of flavor combined with the aioli and a hint of hot sauce from the home made harif (spices in Hebrew). The fries, crisp to perfection! Smothered in the russian dressing and harif - the perfect compliment to the overflowing juicy burger.

Are you drooling yet????

Aaron, a native of LA, agreed completely. As a lover of In-and-Out, he was even blow away by the delectability of the burgers. He had to finish my burger, along with his own - but totally worth it. And the two best parts - the burgers + a beer (during happy hour) + a larger fries + tip ran us both about 100 NIS (relatively 25$). Pretty damn good if you ask me...oh, and they have free delivery!

I have returned to Agadir twice since being able to walk again - and I have ordered the same burger each time. It was also the first solid food I ate when I returned home from the hospital. That says a lot...my comfort food list is very small and I'm very picky abut it. The take-out burgers are just as good. If you like burgers, this is the place for you.

A foodie plug -- A friend of mine here works for a fabulous company called TasteTLV. They have a website for english speakers in Tel Aviv with restaurant reviews and information on where to go out. They also have a baller blog which Andrea writes for. Check them out for more suggestions and information. And my blog is also linked with theirs so feel free to click the link on the side for direct access.

Out with the old, in with the new.

I have decided to change the name of my blog. After having spent practically a month bed ridden without actually experiencing Tel Aviv, I wanted a new start. Also, the shuk in Tel Aviv is nothing near as amazing as the one in Jerusalem.
The new title comes from a brunch date yesterday with my friend at a renowned Tel Aviv restaurant called Benedicts. Located on he corner of Allenby and Rothschild, the white washed, heavily windowed, old-styled, corner building is very unassuming to the naked tourists eye. However, turn the corner and you are immediately transported to a zoo of humans jostling to get to the hostess to put your name down for a table. Amongst a wooden swinging bench, window planters, and the occasional cat; a dozen or so people are waiting for the hostess to call their name to be allowed entrance to this Tel Aviv landmark.
Benedicts heralds its name from "Eggs Benedict". The cute story on the backside of the menu details how "eggs benedict" came about in the wee hours of the morning at the Waldorf Astoria in NY. It has become a staple in the Tel Aviv dinning scene, the non-kosher one. Open + serving only breakfast items 24/7, yes even shabbat, Benedicts is the home to the family brunch, the breakfast for dinner young crowd, the 3 am drunk, and the hung-over 20-somethings.
After walking, like the hunchback of Notre Dam, about 25 minutes in blistering heat, we finally arrived. We sipped on lemon and mint flavored ice cold water as we cooled our selves off, perused the menu, and waited for our names to be called so we could begin our mid-afternoon banquet.
After having a fabulous seafood dinner two nights prior, we obviously could not say no to the idea of ordering something with pork in it. As NY+LA jews...we have bonded over our love of pork products, shellfish, and not covering our shoulders and knees. So many options jumped out to us, we didn't know where to start!
After being seated in a corned windowed table, we set upon the task of narrowing down what we really wanted for breakfast. Before we could even get as far as that, we were enchanted to find a steaming hot breadbasket in front of our noses accompanied by fresh butter, Nutella, and apple butter. The breadbasket included multi-grain, olive, sourdough, and brioche rolls. The breadbaskets are bottomless, always steaming hot fresh from the oven...enough said.

We decided on the brioche with a hint of butter and apple butter as our favorite...two refills later we still thought the same. The multi-grain was another hit with the apple butter.
Ordering was a tough decision...as we had narrowed our hunger pangs down to 4 choices. The addition of fresh juice, a champagne cocktail, iced coffee, or hot coffee to all breakfasts didn't make the choice any easier. What was finally decided upon was eggs Florentine with ham for Rachel and bacon and gouda shakshuka for myself (with obvious license to taste each others included).

 

The eggs were smothered in a rich Hollandaise that even Julia Child herself would have kveled over. Rested upon brioche toast (notice a theme?), the eggs were perfected cooked and the spinach was rich enough to put Rachel asleep at the table promptly after our meal.

The shakshuka was just the perfect amount of spicy, with the bacon being of the perfect smokyness to add another flavor dimension to an already flavorful dish. The added surprise of the shakshuka was a pesto cream-paste. Alone, was enough to make your heart stop - but added to the shakshuka made your head melt trying to deduce the amazingness of the bite itself. 

Only halfway through our meal - Rachel turned to me and instituted the Benedicts visit rule : every time she came up from Jerusalem to stay with me, we had to come to eat here at some point. I obviously agreed, sighting that we had many other menu options to try including huevos rancheros, typical English breakfast, and dulce doleche pancakes.

Yes mom&dad, we will be eating here when you visit. And no mom, you don't have to eat the bacon. 

ani mitz'taeret.

sorry i have not kept up with posting...I am not used to blogging or keeping people apprised of my life 24/7 - probably why I am so averse to "tweeting"/using twitter. as much as my parents would like to think - not everyone of my generation needs to tell everyone what they are doing every second of every day...yes we do need to be connected to know what is going on, but we don't need to broadcast ourselves.
I will work diligently this weekend to put together a few blog posts for everyone. One about Yom Kippur, another about some food I have come across (keeping up with anthony bourdain), and another about my Israeli hospital+surgical experience.
I'm hoping to have enough time tomorrow to drill out at least one.