Stepping into Kitchen Market is like stepping into one big pantry. The walls are covered with high shelves packed with ingredients and the tables are decorated with Italian artichokes, tomato cans and olive oil. While some may not relate to it I find it charming and something that can really puts you in the ‘Kitchen Market’ vibe. We sat in a big table in the middle of the restaurant shared with other dinners all around.
You can just reach out and grab an Italian artichokes can. (But should you?)
Kitchen Market’s night menu, like some other trendy places nowadays is divided to smaller, medium and bigger dishes with the prices to match. we started with the sourdough bread, soft inside and crispy outer, just like I want it, except it’s extra charge and not complimentary which I like less. From the small plates we sampled the Hot corn shrimp: Corn, shrimp, prosciutto, Chinese peas, asparagus and celery (48 ILS). It was a really nice combination, the corn was something between a sauce and a polenta and was delicious. I was a bit upset about the amount of shrimp put in this dish – exactly two, divided by half. We continued with the Mushroom Gnocchi: Porcini, Himeji, parmesan and white truffle oil (78 ILS). This could be a tricky dish because it’s one of these “been there, done that” dishes but it was well made, tasty gnocchi. The next dish that came to our table was the Seafood Ravioli: seared scallops, fresh mussels and crab bisque sauce (96 ILS). Heavy sauce, but a tasty one. The scallops were seared nicely and what I liked most about this dish was carrot puree in the bottom with some carrot cubes on top. Last but not least we had the Lamb Tortellini: potatoes cream, summer vegetables and lamb stock (86 ILS). Kinda reminded me of Toto’s lamb tortellini, but a lighter version of it. It’s colorful, pretty and bare some surprises like the black turnip and green oil.
Lamb Tortellini: potatoes cream, summer vegetables and lamb stock (86 ILS). Colorful and summery.
We had two desserts. I wanted to get the “pearl” dessert I saw other dinners pictures of but it wasn’t on the menu! so we settled for two others: Kitchen’s Sundae: Brownies with nuts, chocolate cream, nougat crunch and vanilla ice-cream (38 ILS) and the Espresso Brulée: Coffee brulée, Tonka chocolate, crème Anglaise, tuile (37 ILS) which were not bad but I feel they’re taken out of a different league: simple and a bit predictable. I saw they were almost completely plated in the vitrine when we got in and I was hoping for something more like a real restaurant dessert: assembled a la minute.
Espresso Brulée: Coffee brulée, Tonka chocolate, crème Anglaise, tuile (37 ILS). Plated already in the vitrine when we got there.
I definitely want to go back to Kitchen Market and try more. Dishes are beautifully made with nice ingredients and element that compliment each other, with a slight hiccup when it comes to the desserts. I also heard they just renovated – hopefully for the better!
