We first visited Olà-Olà in Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market three years ago, soon after it opened. Still run and owned jointly by Or Shabtai and chef Shaked Pahima, the dairy restaurant now offers a new menu, while retaining several of the old favorites.
We arrived one midday lunchtime and found the once bustling Carmel Market – now over a hundred years old – remarkably subdued.
Looking around at the restaurant, which was redesigned this year, we admired the attractive display of glass bottles of all kinds on one wall, the rough gray finish of the other walls, and the wooden slatted ceiling overhead, and then got down to the serious business of choosing our menu.
Idan, our waiter, was like a second Figaro – here, there, and everywhere all at the same time, and super-efficient.
The first item to arrive at our table was fresh focaccia with oil and a drop of balsamic (NIS 39). The bread was hot, and we could have easily filled up on this opener but managed not to overindulge, knowing there were great things ahead.
A bruschetta of two toast triangles with ceviche of tuna, topped with a small dollop of mayonnaise, came next (NIS 78). Eating raw fish presented no problem, knowing, as we did, how many fish stores with fish freshly caught were in the market.
Three more starters appeared: flute-shaped soft bread with chopped raw red drum (musar yam), topped with olive oil and za’atar; a flat frena bread with raw fish, garnished with radish slices, arugula, and aioli dressing; and amberjack (a sea fish) sashimi on a bed of mashed avocado, garnished with fried basil leaves. Both the presentation and the flavors were impeccable in all these dishes.
Next to arrive was a salad, fairly conventional, with a chunk of feta cheese on top (NIS 67). The decorative garnish was avocado with fresh cream rosettes. I dread to think what the calorie count must have been.
For the main course, my dining companion chose sea bass, which was fried and came with three colored strips of pureed vegetables – red pepper, green pepper, and pea puree. The mashed potato came in a separate bowl and was hot and buttery (NIS 179).
I chose a vegetarian main – Truffle Cream Pasta, which was tagliatelle with portobello mushrooms, chestnuts, garlic confit, and truffles (NIS 89). “Heavenly” is inadequate to describe the superb combination of flavors.
‘Irresistible as expected’
I was hoping to avoid the dessert course altogether, but when I heard the magic words “crème brûlée” I, of course, weakened. Perched on a base of pistachio crumbs, with a classic caramelized topping, it was as irresistible as expected (NIS 55).
My companion had bread pudding, an old-fashioned English dessert with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream, and seemed very pleased with his choice (NIS 63).
We left Olà-Olà with a strong feeling that the restaurant has only improved in its three years of existence and gained confidence. Why not go and see for yourself?
A welcome new addition is the evening entertainment, when a DJ, together with belly dancers and darbuka players, perform from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Olà-Olà
27 Simtat Hacarmel
Tel Aviv
Tel: 050-932-2445
Open: Sunday, 6 p.m.-midnight; Mon.-Thurs., noon to midnight; Friday, noon to 3:30 p.m.; Saturday night, 8 p.m. to midnight.
Kashrut: Tel Aviv Rabbinate
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.
Dining and Cooking