BOKER TOV A CULINARY LOVE STORY FROM TEL AVIV TOM SAS LORI DARDIKMAN
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BOKERTOV GOEDEMO GUTEN BOM DIA GÜ HYVÄÄ HUOMENTA BOKERTOV GOEDEMO GUTEN BOM DIA GÜ HYVÄÄ HUOMENTA BOKERTOV GOEDEMO GUTEN BOM DIA GÜ 6
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SHALOM A LOVE STORY BOKER TOV SHABBAT - IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR THE SCENTS AND COLOURS OF SHUK HACARMEL SPICES AND SEASONINGS BASIC PREPARATIONS BREAD BREAKFAST TO SHARE BIG BITES SWEETS DRINKS TEL AVIV LAILA TOV TODA RABA
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A LOVE STORY
When two people with a shared passion for good food and Tel Aviv meet, the result is fireworks. This is precisely what happened to Tom Sas and Lori Dardikman, the owners of Boker Tov.
LORI Although Lori’s father is from Tel Aviv, she had never visited the city as a child. At the age of twenty, she decided it was time to travel around the world. Her dream was to go to Thailand, but she ended up spending a holiday with her aunt in Tel Aviv. Lori fell in love with the city from day one. She was charmed by the magnificent buildings and the beautiful weather. But it was the hospitality, the warmth and the friendliness of the inhabitants in particular that convinced her to stay. She missed the plane home on purpose and went looking for work and a place to live. Not that life in Tel Aviv was easy. It was hard work to pay the rent. Her shift at a coffee shop ran from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. From 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. she au paired for twins before working late into the night in a La Chouffe bar. It may surprise you, but La Chouffe, like many other Belgian beers, is very popular in Israel. Lori was convinced that, no matter what happened, she would always have a bed, food and work in the city. And on Saturdays, shabbat (sabbath in English), she was always welcome somewhere for a shabbat meal. The planned two-week holiday turned into two years. And Lori had lost her heart to Tel Aviv forever.
TOM Meanwhile in Belgium, Tom Sas was building a career in the hospitality industry. After starting as an assistant bartender at a restaurant in Zoersel, his boss quickly realized that Tom had a special talent for welcoming people. On weekends he earned his living at discotheque La Rocca, during the week as hospitality manager for restaurants, events and festivals. He worked alongside great chefs like Sergio Herman at festivals such as We Can Dance and Tomorrowland, opened the pop-up Butcher Bar in the South of Antwerp and created Karavaan Streetcatering from zero. Although Tom rarely visited restaurants as a child, the decadence of fine dining immediately attracted him. Birthdays were invariably celebrated with best friends Nico and Thierry, with the birthday boy choosing the restaurant and the others paying. He gained a nose for good food and star restaurants, as well as the street stall with the best hot dogs, fries or falafel.
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Tel Aviv was not unknown to him. He got to know the city on a city trip and fell in love immediately. The 24/24 vibe, the mix of cultures and religions, the fantastic food, the beautiful weather... It was a city of extremes in which he felt very much himself. The visit convinced him that one day he wanted to do something related to Tel Aviv in Antwerp.
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BARBECUED AUBERGINES 4 servings
INGREDIENTS 4 aubergines 100 g cherry tomatoes 10 g ponzu sauce 25 g chilli garlic sauce
120 g tahini (recipe p. 47) 80 g green zhug (recipe p. 51) olive oil fleur de sel
PREPARATION Preheat the barbecue (or the oven to 180°C). Roast the aubergines for about 20 minutes (27 minutes in the oven) until fully cooked. Score the aubergines under the green stem all the way around and carefully remove the skin without breaking the flesh. Mix the cherry tomatoes with the ponzu sauce for 1 minute and then sieve the mixture. Stir in the chilli garlic sauce to create a nice spicy mixture. Halve the aubergines lengthwise and roast them briefly on the barbecue until they’re hot. Place half an aubergine on a plate. Add tahini, green zhug and the tomato mixture. Garnish with pepper and fleur de sel.
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THE BEACH
SHUK HACARMEL The Carmel market is open every day (except on Saturdays) from early morning until sunset (see p. 28). You will literally find everything there: fresh fruit and vegetables, herbs, spices, meat and fish, clothing, electronics, you name it.
Nowhere is a beach more bustling with life than in Tel Aviv. People come here to celebrate their birthday or the end of their military service. Families to picnic with their small children. Beautiful young people stroll here or play sports. There are yoga classes and waves to surf. Every beach bar serves fantastic food costing next to nothing. The place is an explosion of nationalities where you will hear every possible language. Tel Aviv beach is a place to celebrate life. Every day is a party.
OLD JAFFA
ROTSCHILD BOULEVARD
The oldest part of the city existed long before Tel Aviv was built. It extends over a hill along the Mediterranean Sea. To visit Old Jaffa is to step back in time. There is a charming marina and an old fishing port where you can see the boats moor full of fresh catch.
This beautiful pedestrian boulevard runs from the Neve Tzedek district to the Habima Theatre. You can cycle or stroll along this wide tree-lined avenue with abundant little parks where the children can romp to their hearts’ content. You will also find plenty of eateries and coffee bars on Rothschild Boulevard. Many of the unique houses on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List are located in this street.
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ASIF CULINARY INSTITUTE OF ISRAEL Asif has recently opened on Tel Aviv’s Lilienblum Street. This is a culinary centre in the heart of the city with a cookbook library, rooftop farm, deli and eatery. Young chefs, food makers and wine producers show you what they are capable of.