Road Trip – Mahneyuda Restaurant – JerusalemPlease don’t correct me on the spelling of the restaurant which is located in Jerusalem’s outdoor market Mahane Yehuda. The name appears as one word in Hebrew and although the menu is available in English there’s no English spelling of the restaurant’s name anywhere to be found. (suggestions: Machane Yehuda Restaurant, Mahne Yehuda Restaurant....it is endless!)
Let’s move on to the food or better yet, the experience of Mahneyuda. This is a restaurant with an attitude. But what a great attitude it is!
Under the direction of three chefs, Asaf Granit, Yossi Elad and Uri Navon the restaurant is a hub of food action. Sit downstairs (at the kitchen bar or beverage bar) and you’ll have a bird's eye view into the frantic beat of the kitchen. This gives new meaning to the “open kitchen”. There are other tables downstairs away from the bars where the loud music will help you keep the beat even if you can’t see the kitchen. Sit upstairs and you’ll still enjoy your meal but you’ll be able to have conversation while enjoying your special meal.
Mahneyuda, Jerusalem
The menu changes daily and uses the best of what’s available in the shuk. The menu is divided into 3 sections, by price in Hebrew and by small, starter and main course in English. Make sure you read the side bar of the menu because that’s where the some of the salads, risotto and other specials are found.
T in Tel Aviv and her dining companion went vegetarian for lunch. The restaurant isn’t kosher but there’s something for everyone on this menu. We started with the “Salmon Tataki” (36 NIS) prepared in a “Nablus Gate” way. Don’t forget, the restaurant is in Jerusalem. The “Nablus Gate” refers to the drizzled tehina on the hardly seared salmon and red tuna. On the side we received a bowl of tempura fried ginger. Delicious.
Our next course was THE most scrumptious creamy polenta (54NIS) topped with perfectly crisp asparagus, mushroom ragu and shaved Parmesan. It was served in an airtight mason jar! This is one of those dishes that when you finish you want to cry because there isn’t any more left in the jar!
Next…a “Summer Pasta” (54NIS) with Jerusalem artichokes, snow peas and spinach in a light lemony olive oil sauce topped with shave Parmesan. Not on the menu was a gorgeous tomato salad for which we used the bread (from Russell’s Bakery in the shuk) to soak up the dressing.
Not on the menu tomato salad
Lotan, our delightful barman AND waiter (we were seated at the beverage bar) kept our glasses full with a cold Lambrusco. This was the perfect beverage for what was an oppressively hot day and sitting so close to the kitchen added to the temperature.
Click below to watch the kitchen in action
Neither of us had room for dessert but did that stop us????? NO! Try the “Chocolate Poisoning” – An over sized brownie (perfect brownie), chocolate ice cream AND chocolate sauce. Lotan threw in a passion fruit mahlabi since we were celebrating special events. I’m usually not a fan but this was good.
Around the same time that the kitchen crew was brought shots of vodka those of us at the bar were given shots of an apple and vodka mixture.
This is a must visit restaurant and T in Tel Aviv looks forward to further visits. The menu has so many dishes that I wanted to try but how much can eat at once? I also suggest dining with a group so you can sample a variety of dishes.
I’d give Manhneyuda a 4.95 out of 5 – the bathroom needs closer attention during rush hour. Keep in mind that reservations MUST be made FAR in advance especially if you want to sit at one of the bars.
Beit Yaacov Street 10, Jerusalem (Machane Yehuda), Tel: 02-533-3442
Open 12:30-16:30 Sunday- Thursday and 18:30 - until the last customer
Fridays 12:00-16:00
Saturday night until the last customer
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