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Botanikaby Tallie Lieberman | 11.10.16

Newwave Nordic cooking, in all its brining, curing and

fermenting glory, has washed up on Tel Aviv’s shores in

the pearl of a cocktail bar—Botanika. This smart

Scandinavian transplant, tucked away in Ultra, Tomer

Poleg and Nick Sitbon’s new boutique hotel on Hayarkon

Street, has a strippedback elegance that reflects a

commitment to quality over quantity. Chef Yossi Asraf’s

small but perfectlyformed menu, featuring just nine

immaculately executed dishes (including dessert), makes a

compelling case for ‘less is more’.

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“If you are going to use only a few select ingredients, you

had better be sure they are the finest available anywhere”,

Niso Mugrabi, the bar manager explains over a Nordic

No. 5, a frosty, citrusy serving of pure Aquavit #1,

limoncello, lime, honey and cardamom.

Indeed, the dishes that seem to suddenly manifest

themselves clean out of the Nordic grey and woodsy,

caramel brown of the dimlylit bar are a resounding

testament to Botanika’s exacting creative team. These

foodies and mixologists moonlight as aspiring botanists,

growing their own herbs to star in each carefullycrafted

bite, and as artisanal ice carvers, slicing perfectly

symmetrical blocks of crystalclear ice for the

bar’s signature drinks.

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However remarkable the cocktails, the indisputable star of

Botanika is the spectacular seafood. The crab flower broth

is so intoxicatingly frothy, smooth and smoky, only the

most deeplyentrenched sense of decorum may—or may

not—prevent you from picking up the bowl and licking it

with abandon.

The Mediterranean fish, served on a bed of brown butter

foam and adorned with fresh herbs, is as fresh, juicy and

satisfying as a steak (and, under the cloak of darkness, may

be mistaken as such). The crusty, openfaced smoked

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salmon sandwich, a toasted log of homemade bread laden

with housecured salmon, sharp white horseradish, fresh

ricotta and lemon thyme, packs a zingy, salty punch.

“We are extremely committed to detail,” says Jay Araneta,

head bartender, serving another round of Negroni

Fragarias, quenching Tanqueray, vermouth rosso, Aperol

and strawberry bitters,  ahead of the finale: a flower

infused bittersweet chocolate mousse—Nordic noir at its

most delectable.

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Botanika, 78 Hayarkon Street, (03)9330339. www.botanikatlv.com | Facebook |

Instagram: @botanikatlv

Read more about Botanika in the Telavivian City Guide.

Photo credit Dana Caspi.

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