 February 2010
The corner of Tel Aviv's Ahad Ha’am Street and Nachalat Binyamin is the crossroads of today's business district and the original historic yeshuv. Packed with history and heavily trafficed this is a perfect spot for a restaurant.
Not just any restaurant, L’Entrecote and Alhambra is a kosher restaurant of distinction.
Tucked into the picturesque and historic Palatin House, this is a restaurant with style in a location that whispers the stories of the past.
The Palatinn House was built in 1926 by architect Alexander Baerwald, who combined local styles with Oriental themes in order to create what was at the time the main hotel in Tel Aviv. The restaurant itself has a warm and inviting interior. Wood floors combine with soft lighting and artwork to create a modern space that is as relaxing as it is stylish. The windows, a good distance from the street, gives the interior a more intimate feel, and blocks the noise from the street.
My wife and I visited this restaurant on a Thursday night as the staff was preparing for two private events. This was a non issue as they treated us attentively and with care throughout our meal.
The menu is French with Mediterranean influences. This is a delicious combination of local products and French cuisine. The sauces that characterize French cuisine work well and do not overpower the flavors of the meat.
 We were served warm rolls and olive tapenade almost immediately, while the kitchen started work on our orders. We ate these sparingly knowing that our orders were just around the corner. We started with a selection of appetizers. First we had the Duck Liver Pate which came with sweet spiced bread, and pineapple chutney. The sweetness of the chutney complemented the rich creaminess of the pate. My wife had the Seared Tuna which was beautifully presented with a homemade cracker over avocado salad and sliced tomato. This dish was also a hit with the perfectly seared tuna and the flavorful soy lemon grass marinade. We also tried the eggplant with tehina and roasted peppers.
But the star of the starters was the elegant Salmon Carpaccio. This was served thinly sliced on a plate with salt and pepper and slices of grapefruit. The combination of the soft fish with the salt and citrus was unbeatable.
For the main course I went for the Entrecote steak. Who can justify not ordering the dish the restaurant is named after? My steak came perfectly cooked with wine and mustard sauce on the side. Both of these were very flavorful but I prefer my steak to speak for itself so I was happy they left the sauce on the side. My wife ordered the Pargit which was served with a spicy salsa. The chicken was soft and juicy and packed tons of flavor while the salsa added texture to the dish.
For dessert we chose the recommended baked apple served with banana nut ice cream. The phyllo dough was crisp and the apple filling was light and warm. I thought it might be too heavy after such a big meal but that was not the case. The dessert was the perfect ending to a special meal.
L’Entrecote is happy to serve private parties from 15 – 100 people.
There are two pay for parking lots near the restaurant on Ahad Ha’am and Nachalat Binyamin.
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