Tsarum: A Yemenite feast in Herzliya - review

The Yemenite Jews in Israel have made significant contributions to our life here, especially in entertainment and in food.

Some of Israel’s most famous singers are of Yemenite origin; think Gali Atari, Ofra Haza, Dana International, and Eyal Golan.

As to the food, who doesn’t love a piping hot plate of Yemenite soup, or some crispy malawah or jihnun to mop up a plate of hummus and tehina?

A culinary adventure in Herzliya

With these thoughts in mind, we arrived at Tsarum in Herzliya, prepared for a culinary adventure. And we were not disappointed. The entire menu is constructed around traditional Yemenite foods.

Idan, the proprietor and hands-on chef, greeted us warmly before returning to his busy kitchen, and our needs were taken care of by our super-efficient waitress, Einav.

The menu is a laminated plastic affair but packs in a great deal of information with colorful illustrations of the food on offer.

Einav brought us small plates of a variety of salads, with a hot malawah to pull apart with the fingers and scoop up the dips. The salads were all very fresh. Some were standard, like the red cabbage in mayonnaise or the plate of olives, but others were more enticing, like the creamed eggplant or the specially made hummus and tehina. I even liked the hilbe, a Yemenite specialty made with the herb fenugreek. It was a great shared starter, but we had to be careful not to overindulge in the extra-good malawah (NIS 20-40).

I decided that a plate of Yemenite soup would be just the job for a main course. This one was a classic example, a rich consommé in which floated a large piece of stewed beef and a potato. It was hot, and I really appreciated this. There’s nothing worse, in my opinion, than lukewarm soup.

My companion chose chicken livers as a main course, and these were perfectly cooked, browned on the outside and just done in the middle. It was gratifying just to watch from my side of the table to see how much he was enjoying them (NIS 35).

A glance around the restaurant revealed several families with small children, and this is clearly a very child-friendly place. The overall ambience is very relaxed and pleasant.

We asked about desserts, and Idan informed us there were three choices: kadayif, mousse, and malabi. We chose the first, which is probably the most authentic, and found it just about edible, though the lashings of parve cream reminded me my sports shoes needed a clean and this would have done the job very well.

The restaurant also does a big trade in takeaway on a Friday, and Idan was most insistent I write that the meat used at Tsarum is glatt kosher.

It’s very much a family restaurant, founded by Idan’s grandparents, Yehiel and Shoshana Tsarum, in 1974. Sadly, Shoshana died less than a year ago. Asher, Idan’s father, is also involved in the business.

A meal out here, even for a family, won’t break the bank, and you are guaranteed a very pleasant evening out.

• Tsarum
• 25 Katznelson, Herzliya
• Tel: (09) 955-8431
• Open: Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Kashrut: Herzliya Rabbinate.
• Wheelchair accessible.

The writer was a guest of the restaurant.