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Eats in Tel Aviv: Nir Zook's Culinary Trifecta

Where: Yeffet 30, Jaffa, Israel
April 29, 2009 at 1:06 PM | by | Comment (1)

Jaunted contributor Sedona recently spent a week in Tel Aviv, and happily ate her way through the city so she could share her picks with you.

Today's Tel Aviv culinary secret revealed is the magical kingdom of Chef Nir Zook. His three hot spots - Cordelia, Noa Bistro and Jaffa Bar are hidden gems in Jaffa, the area's ancient port city.

Chef Zook is a 30-year-old foodie dynamo who grew up on a farm in southern Israel where he learned a thing or two about putting the right ingredients together. He started hosting dinner parties with friends at his apartment in Tel Aviv after which they insisted he open his own place. The result is Cordelia restaurant, where he infuses French classics with Mediterranean touches.

Think ostrich meat with cocoa or a light fish fillet paired with green and white asparagus shavings. One of the best parts about Cordelia is its decor, it's a sort of collection of found objects - from cutlery to mismatched tables and chairs to funky chandeliers, and everything miraculously just goes together. Chef Zook sources the items himself and spends time scouring flea markets for finds continuously.

Noa is more of a casual bistro-style spot (just around the corner from Cordelia) and the perfect place for a late night bite with a friend or for a drink after dinner. The interior (above) is built into an ancient inner courtyard from old Jaffa, with huge arched ceilings laden with flowers and plants.

Zook's Jaffa Bar is the place to stop for an expertly mixed cocktail and to hear live tunes. The best perk of dining at Zook's place is that they are all close to each other, about a five-minute walk between all three. So if you have time to eat at just one you can at least pop in and have a drink to see the other two.

Zook also hosts a cooking show called "Zookaria" on Israeli cable and has also published three cookbooks and writes a food column for Israel's leading daily paper. Something tells us we're going to see him Stateside fairly soon. Watch out, Bobby Flay.

Cordelia is open everyday for dinner from 7-11 p.m. Noa is open everyday from 9:30 p.m. until "the last customer leaves" and serves lunch Sunday through Thursday from 12-4 p.m. Jaffa Bar is open Monday through Saturday from 8 p.m.- 2 a.m.

Related Stories:
· Cordelia-Noa-Jaffa [Official Site]
· Cordelia Restaurant [Frommers]

[Photo: TravelTrade]

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