Claro;: A hidden gem in the heart of Tel Aviv - review

Claro; (with a semicolon), the Mediterranean restaurant in the heart of Tel Aviv is one of the most innovative, sought-after eateries in Israel. Housed in a meticulously restored 150-year-old Templar building in Sarona, Claro; has become a real draw for foodies up and down the country. I was delighted, therefore, to receive an invitation to dine there, having received rave reviews from those of my friends who had already been. Despite having a reputation for being super posh (with prices to match), the atmosphere was relaxed and distinctly unpretentious.

The first thing that struck my husband, Jeff, and me when we arrived was the beautiful building with a little wooden door hidden among the lush greenery bearing the eye-catching sign, “Open.”

The interior of the restaurant was no less impressive. A large open kitchen in the corner, exposed beams, and high ceilings created a warm, friendly atmosphere.

Farm-to-table food supporting farmers from the Gaza border

The eatery is famed for its farm-to-table menu. Chefs Ran Shmueli and Tal Feigenbaum and the team pride themselves on supporting Israeli farmers across the country by sourcing ingredients from the far reaches of the land.  

Sagi, the manager, joined us at our table for a few minutes to tell us about the ethos of the restaurant and how it’s been affected by the war (at the start, like many other restaurants, it prepared food for the soldiers). 

Many of the seasonal ingredients in use on October 7 were sourced from farms and kibbutzim in the Gaza border area which were severely affected when the war began. Since then, the team has done its utmost to support these struggling communities by tailoring their menu accordingly.

At the time of our visit, the menu included new dishes using specialty grains from Al Babour, a 100-year-old grain mill owned by the Abu Yussef family in Yarka, Northern Israel. The collaboration was forged to shine a light on the topic of nutrition security in Israel.

HAVING LEARNED a little about the restaurant itself while sipping quirky cocktails (Jeff’s was coriander-based), it was time for us to eat. Thankfully, choices were made for us (my humble food origins left me slightly baffled by some of the dishes on offer) both from the regular and the specialty dishes.

We kicked off the meal with one of the specials: Garden Bruschetta; light and crispy filo pastry, topped with parsley and garlic confit cream, and Kadosh cheese.

After that, dish after dish arrived at our table, served to us by our attentive waitress, who took pains to ensure that any spills were mopped up between courses.

The equally delightful Summer Vegetable Bruschetta with apricot, cornichons, carosello, red onion, eggplant, and labneh cream came next, with my favorite dish of the evening: Yellow Tail Sashimi with Freekeh Tabouleh, yogurt, pistachio, and tomato salsa.

From the same course, we also tried another special, Figs and Brazoula Focaccia, topped with Arisa Butter, spicy wild leaves, and spiced honey, which, as a fig-lover, I thoroughly enjoyed. 

One of the more unusual dishes, made with raw mince meat – Beef and Grape Kibbeh Nayyeh, with bulgur, Al Babour wholemeal cracker, black grapes, and rocket leaves – was served to us alongside it. It wasn’t until we’d almost polished it off that we realized we were eating raw meat, something that I, perhaps, wouldn’t have done by choice. 

The three main dishes didn’t disappoint either, in terms of creativity and variety. The more traditional fried Lamb Kuba, with Greek yogurt, local tomatoes, and seasoned oil – from the specials – was Jeff’s favorite of the evening, while I particularly enjoyed the Gnocchi alla Romana and shrimp served with dried tomatoes, basil oil, laban kishk.

The final main specialty dish: Charcoal-grilled Sweetbreads, with Freekeh Risotto, eggplant, chicken stock, peanut crumble, and parmesan wasn’t one of our favorites. Unfamiliar with this type of meat and a little disconcerted by its texture and taste I googled it only to find that sweetbreads are made from calf or lamb’s pancreas. Nevertheless, this disturbing discovery didn’t spoil our enjoyment of the meal, which ended with two fabulous off-menu desserts, one apricot-based, the other, chocolate.

With an extensive wine menu featuring wines by the glass from NIS 44, to a bottle of Chateau Rayas, Chateauneuf du Pape 2009 for NIS 15,200, the restaurant is a wine connoisseur’s dream. I went with sommelier Ron Bronfman’s recommendation, a lovely glass of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Kibbutz Harel winery in the center of the country.

While Claro; is, from any perspective, an expensive restaurant, its delightful ambiance, attentive staff, and above all, fabulous dishes using fresh, locally sourced ingredients make it the perfect place for a special event or a quiet midweek meal. Ideally suited to the more adventurous palate, those whose tastes are more traditional would do well to check the menu to see what’s on offer that day before making a reservation.

• Claro; 
• 30 David Elazar St (corner of 23 Ha’arbaa St.), Tel Aviv
• T:  +972-3-6017777
• W: clarotlv.com
• E: info@clarotlv.com
• Opening hours: Sun to Thu: 12 noon-3:45 p.m.; 6:00 p.m.-10:15 p.m. Friday: 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; 6:00 p.m.-10:15 p.m. Saturday: 9:00 a.m.-12 noon; 1:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.; 6:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
• Prices: starters NIS 74-94; mains NIS 64-298

The writer and her husband were guests of the restaurant

Claro; is not kosher and is open on Shabbat.