The Haj Khahil family has been in the restaurant business for some 40 years and recently opened their new flagship restaurant on the northern side of the clock tower square in Jaffa. During the days of Turkish rule, at the end of the 19th century family members made their living as drivers of the “Diligence” horse drawn carriages that carried the who’s who of Israel. The restaurant stands on the location of the former central station of the horse drawn carriages.
The menu (also in English at the restaurant) is reminiscent of restaurants in the Galilee that serve authentic Arabic food. Within seconds of sitting down at our table we were served about 15 different salads – each better than the last. You’ll love the cauliflower with tehina, avocado with lots of fresh zesty lemon, various eggplant salads, pickled cherry tomatoes, tabbouleh and according to others at the table, GREAT hummus. (It was so good that both portions brought to the table never made it to my end!)
"Corniche" - Rice Stuffed Chicken
As usual the salads would have been enough but we had to try some of the special dishes on the menu – a whole chicken stuffed with rice and “seniya”, a typical dish of lamb stewed in tehina. Both were delicious. For the less adventurous there are the usual skewered meats which looked ample in portion size and fresh.
Large pitchers of pomegranate juice or lemonade help wash everything down.
Pomegranate Juice
T in Tel Aviv had no room for dessert but the rest of the table shared a homemade knafe, a sort of pie made of a baked/fried batter stuffed with cheese and drizzled with syrup.
Prices are reasonable and service attentive and warm. A highly recommended culinary stop while in Jaffa. Suggest making a reservation for evening visits.
Haj Khahil
Haj Khahil
Raziel St 18, Clock Tower Sq., Jaffa
03-683-1239
(not kosher)
