Greg Cafe, Raanana

November 2019
If there is a city in Israel that does not have a Greg Cafe we haven't yet found it. Greg is just everywhere. The Raanana branch of Greg Cafe is on the main floor of the Renanim mall in the Etgarim tech park. The restaurant is circular, joining two main pathways through the mall. There is seating along the outside of the circle, in the see-and-be-seen section, facing the flow of human traffic, and seating further inside, on an elevated platform.

After many years in this location, Greg in Raanana is under new management. Adir has taken full control of the restaurant. He has improved the traditional Greg dishes, added some new dishes, and in general has raised the level of this restaurant.

I love a menu on a tablet. First, the restaurant keeps them clean so they are not sticky or bent. I like being able to see a picture of what I am ordering, and I like that the menu can be shown in different languages. So, when the tablets were presented, our meal started off on the right foot. That said, note that the English language menu did not keep up with the Hebrew, and there were items missing. Oh well. I am sure this will be corrected.

The Greg signature dishes are their breakfasts: generous and filling, reasonably priced, breakfasts are served all day. Greg Raanana offers 2 for 1 breakfast specials on certain choices. Note that the restaurant will honor the eLuna discount on breakfast dishes not on special. It was a little late in the day for us to breakfast so we asked Adir to guide us.

There are lunch specials, dinner meals a host of light fare, and hot and cold running drinks. It is good to get some guidance from your server.

We asked to try the most iconic Greg dishes, beside the breakfasts. "Our fish dishes are very good" we were told, so we chose the salmon (pictured above). Pasta dishes are usually some of the more popular dishes at Greg, so we chose a pasta dish (pictured below). Adir suggested the pasta with broccoli and green beans i gladly agreed. My companion loves soup even in the hottest summer days. He began his meal with a bowl of soup, served with a crusty roll.

The salmon dish is described as Seared Salmon Filet with chili and pineapple sauce grated peanuts and green onions served with two side dishes. This dish is listing in the Lunch section of the menu, not in the Asian section, but these are definitely Asian flavors. For a change, we were asked how well done we would like the salmon. More restaurants should do that, as frequently you get a filet that’s overdone or underdone.

Out came a generous plate, exactly as ordered. There was a generous amount of sweet sauce rich in pineapple chunks and a touch of red chilli pepper on the salmon. My companion was quite enthusiastic about this dish, served with his choice of home fries and green beans and broccoli. The sauce worked well with the potatoes, not just with the salmon. The pasta with the same vegetables, in a cream sauce, was less impressive. A healthy smattering of Parmesan cheese improved the dish substantially.

Note that Greg is launching their winter menu and there are new choices available including fancy hot drinks. I indulged in an elegant looking hot chocolate topped with a quarter of a Belgian waffle. Check the Hebrew menu for these drinks.

Greg Cafe nods to vegans and people sensitive to gluten. Vegan dishes are marked on the menu, and there are plenty of marked vegan dishes in every category. So rejoice oh ye vegans.