Catit Restaurant, known as one of the high-end restaurants in Israel, and there are just a few. Chef Meir Adoni bringing to his restaurant what seemed to be the only touches of haute cuisine known in this country. At the same week we dined in Mizlala, Catit’s “younger sister”, we also visited Catit. It was a short visit late at night but we are sure to come back.
The Italian Vs. the French: La Volta 2009 Toscana Ornellaia (48 NIS for a glass) and Borie La vitarèle, Saint Chinian, Les Schistes. 2010 (56 NIS for a glass). I preferred the Italian.
For more pictures of wine, see the new Wine Gallery.
We were too late to order the tasting menu, this is the a la carte menu: about 100 NIS for a first course and around 180 NIS for a main course.
Sipping a Campari.
Amuse Bouche: Warm yogurt soup with freekeh (green wheat). Served with a savory biscuit. I ate all mine but Omer doesn’t like yogurt. There wasn’t any supplement to this little amuse bouche and he ended up just eating the biscuit.
White sourdough bread with coriander seeds and raisins rye bread, served with butter and bell peppers aioli. Lovely bread dish which is also complementary unlike most restaurants in Tel-Aviv.
The dinner atmosphere in Catit is classy but relaxed. Not too little, not too much. This water bottle drew my attention.
One of the specials: Fresh corn polenta, Portobello and poached egg. This dish was pleasurable with a simple yet heavenly combination of flavors. The egg cracks open and fills the beefy mushroom with yolk.
Veal Brain “Sofrito”, sage butter, garlic confit, crispy quinoa seeds in spices, Ratte chips, garlic cream, variations of onion, lamb pancetta, red wine and juniper sauce (97 NIS).
So many elements, each made in a different manner. It was quite fun to eat, like an adventure. Asking the waiter for more information about the dish was informative and interesting.
Pallet cleanser: Yuzu sorbet on candied citrus peel, licorice and sage. The citrus flavor dominated and it was on the sweet side. The only dislike I had was the licorice – for me it didn’t add.
Fillet of bar, caramelized macadamia nut butter, thyme, jelly consommé, shitake mushrooms, Jerusalem artichoke, wild mushrooms, pearl onions, porcini butter and Gruyère patissiere (189 NIS). Delicious earthy dish, although the fish cooked well – it’s not the center of attention here. There’s an entire winter forest bursting out of the plate and I loved it.
Mediterranean veal Fillet, olives-za’atar tapenade, young artichoke, garlic cream “kromesky”, parsley coulis, Ratte fries, pearl onions filled with bulgur and herbs, red wine sauce (197 NIS).
Another beautiful dish full of little surprises. The meat nicely cooked and covered with a crispy tapenade. I thought it made the beef a bit too savory. The kromesky had to be eaten in one bite, exploded in the mouth with liquid warm sweet garlic cream.
The style of the Catit’s kitchen is modern cuisine with a lot of French and Mediteranian influences using high quality ingredients. The dishes are beautiful, complex, delicious but also mind triggering. Indeed it’s expensive but the thought and effort put in each dish are noticeable and admirable. Not that much more expensive comparing to an average restaurant, yet it’s obvious you get your value for the money here. Especially in the fixed lunch menu, which I have to try, and the lovely balcony when it’s nice outside. I wish there could be more places like this in Israel. If you’re wondering where are the desserts – next time we’ll definitely have some of Adoni’s famous desserts.
4 Heihal HaTalmud, Tel-Aviv
03-5107001
[…] Adoni, Chef of Catit, opened recently his next restaurant named ”Mizlala” (means something like An […]