text:
Set as Homepage
Sun, Mar 9, 2014
7 Adar II, 5774
Breaking News
Diplomacy & Politics
Israel News
Health & Science
Jewish World
Push for Peace 2013
Insights & Features
Week in review
On the Web
Shalva Superheroes
Obama in Israel
Business News
Business Features
Real Estate
Daily TV News
The Jerusalem Report
In Jerusalem
Expert Opinion
Christian Edition
Green Israel
Politique et Social
Affaires Palestiniennes
Art et Culture
Breaking News
Arts & Culture
Food And Wine
The winter harvest at Rustico
By LAURA KELLY
12/12/2012 16:55
Tel Aviv's Italian restaurant highlights ingredients at their peak of freshness.
Photo: Courtesy
Tel Aviv is an indulgent city, and the Italian restaurant Rustico is equally indulgent. It's not a novice on the Italian cooking scene. It boasts the degree of Hospitalita Italiana awarded by the Italian Chamber of Commerce and the Association of Italian Chefs, which recognized the restaurant's preservation of Italian culinary tradition and is commended as an authentic Italian institution.
Between December 20– 31, Rustico will be celebrating the traditional Italian festival of Sagra with a special menu highlighting Israel's winter vegetables. The theme menu coincides with the restaurant's seventh anniversary on Rothschild Boulevard and its fourth at its Basel Street location.
The Sagra festival is an Italian tradition that takes place in small villages throughout Italy to celebrate local ingredients at the peak of their freshness. As Tel Aviv transitions into the chilly, rainy months of winter, the Israeli harvest of pumpkin, butternut squash and tangerines are the ingredients Rustico has chosen to incorporate.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is true to the name, Italian rustic. The sturdy wooden tables with wroughtiron legs are inspired by Italian farming culture. Bottles of wine line the walls, set off by dim lighting and warm candlelight. The cooking station behind the bar offers transparency, and the food is made all the more appetizing while watching the chefs prepare it.
The Sagra festival menu begins with Rustico's afritibo tangerine cocktail. It's a fun drink made with Vermouth, Campari, and fresh pieces of tangerine, making it sweet but not overpowering. It's a good pairing with the appetizers that have rich, hearty flavors.
Soup, bruschetta and pizza are all traditional warm Italian appetizers that Rustico builds on to emphasize Israel's fresh root vegetables. The pizza with butternut squash, buffalo mozzarella and gorgonzola (NIS 58). is a comfort food dream. The cheese is so creamy; that it lends itself more to a rich dip on top of the pizza crust. The flavors are salty, and basil and chili give it a spicy bite.
The butternut squash adds a meaty texture, but the dish still melts in your mouth. Rustico's thin crust is a good base for the flavors.
The cream of pumpkin soup (NIS 33) is blended with chestnuts and porcini truffle oil and a garnish of chopped cashews to add texture. The oil thins the soup so it's not too heavy. The woody flavor of the winter nuts balances the sweetness.
A generous serving of bruschetta (NIS 43) is good for two people. The bread is crisp on the outside and softened by the pesto topping. A thick slice of pumpkin, goat cheese and warm tomato complement each other but are bland when eaten separately.
Moving on to the main course, Rustico offers a carafe of warm sangria glass (NIS37 /carafe NIS 69.) The restaurant blended red wine, brandy and seasonal fruits. It's a nice transition from the light cocktail and lends itself to enjoying the more robust main dishes. The pasta is a filling dish. Rigatoni is mixed in a rich cream sauce with pieces of smoked bacon, cubes of butternut squash, basil and pine nuts. It is traditional Italian hearty fare. The pasta is a solid choice over the beef and fish fillet.
Both the beef and fish fillet have positives on their plates, but they also have negatives. The beef (NIS 119) was a nice size, cooked medium rare with fresh ground pepper and salt. The cream sauce was nice enough, but the mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli side added nothing to the dish. The fish (NIS 109), on the other hand, was tasteless, but the pumpkin puree was very sweet. The gratin potatoes served with the fish was not the traditional recipe with cheese but had a fresh, natural taste. The skins of the potatoes were left on and added a salty crunch to the soft inside.
Dessert is the course of natural progression. Keeping with the Sagra theme, pumpkin is added to a traditional hot fruit crumble a la mode (NIS 37). It is a winter dessert with warm baked fruit topped with a brown sugar and cinnamon crumble.
Keeping with Italian tradition, tiramisu as an equally decadent option. The dessert is as creamy and thick as ice cream. There are no pretensions of minimalism; it's a celebration of flavors and the abundance of them.
The meal is capped with traditional limoncello. The famed Italian alcohol is soft, sweet and not overpowering. It gives a bite but is enjoyable, mostly to perk the diner up after such a decadent meal.
A decision to dine at Rustico is a conscious one. It fills the body with warm comfort food and is a great way to find solace from dreary winter days.
The Sagra festival menu is available at Rustico's two locations. The main menu is also available in addition to the specials.
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.
(Not kosher)
15 Rothschild Boulevard, Tel Aviv
42 Basel, Tel Aviv
Follow @JPost_Lifestyle
Jerusalem Post Annual Conference. Buy it now, Special offer. Come meet Israel's top leaders
Tel Aviv
Tweets from https://twitter.com/Jerusalem_Post/jpost-reporters
Share this article
Your comment must be approved by a moderator before being published on JPost.com. Disqus users can post comments automatically.
Comments must adhere to
our Talkback policy
. If you believe that a comment has breached the Talkback policy, please press the flag icon to bring it to the attention of our moderation team.
comments powered by Disqus.
JPost Services
Mobile Apps
Kotel Cam
JPost Alert
Israel Focus
Tikva Hope
This Purim, help us make Israel's children laugh Give them a joyous holiday
Meir Panim
Help make this Purim a happy one for hungry Israeli children Donate now for
YTA – A Yeshiva High School
Come Join Us
Donate to Save Lives in Israel
Rambam Healthcare Campus
Support Israel's Underground Fortified Hospital
Bank Hapoalim
Israeli's number one bank
JPost TV News
Watch Now!
Jerusalem Post Lite
Lite Edition of the Jerusalem Post for English improvement
Learn Hebrew with us
Get 10 minutes free personal coaching in Hebrew through phone or Skype
JPost newspapers
Sign up for the JPost newspapers and receive one month free subscription
JReport Kindle Edition
Now you can get the Jerusalem Report directly to your Kindle
JPost Premium Edition
The very best articles are available only in our Premium edition
Real Estate
Sea Hotel–Luxury Resort
Ultimate glamour and luxury Find out more
Israel Hotel Sale
Guaranteed best prices on the Internet. Personal service.
Eldan Rent a Car
20% off all Car Rental Reservations in Israel


text:
Looking for something else?
Mayaland Plaza Hotel6 Avenida Cuarta Calle Esquina Z1, 10001 Flores (Show map)
Score from 78 reviews
We stayed in room 19 . İt has view of pool and private balcony. Comfortable and clean bed. Good hot water, very good wifi in the room. Helpfull staff.
Clean, safe, not too far from Flores island. More like real Guatemala then staying in Flores
Good clean hotel. Friendly staff.
The hotel is nice, clean, well located if you are driving they have a garage for your car.
close to the airport. nice staff.
Excellent restaurant Good location to Flores, if you can't stay there as easily walkable to restaurants, etc, Safe parking for car.
I've stayed here several times. The staff are always friendly and helpful. Have multiple bags to carry upstairs to your room? They're right there to help. The coffee is very good, the breakfast also. I'll stay here again!
Good Location ( near the bridge to Flores, and the Bus Terminal) Great Staff, they help me with all my questions about transports and tours. Good room, clean and with a good size. The owner is Spanish and was very friendly.
Nice hotel, very closed to the island, which is the nicest thing in Flores and close to the bus station, where one can get buses to go to Mayan ruins like Tikal.
Staff was extremely accommodating
Carson, CA 90746
This pleasant hotel is located just 3 blocks from Lake Petén Itza and 3 minutes' drive from Mundo Maya International Airport. Set in pretty gardens, it offers an outdoor pool and terrace, free continental breakfast and free Wi-Fi. Mayaland Plaza Hotel's bright, air-conditioned rooms overlook the gardens or street and feature cable TV, a desk and private bathroom. Laundry, ironing and room services are all available. The hotel's restaurant serves a varied menu and there is also a snack bar and BBQ facilities. The hotel has its own shops and on-site ATM machine and is 400 metres from shops and restaurants at the Mundo Maya International Mall. The Mayaland Plaza has a beauty salon and offers massage services. It also includes a business centre, currency exchange services and conference facilities. Mayaland Plaza Hotel offers free parking and is located just 800 metres from Isla de las Flores. The TIKAL National Park can be reached by car in 50 minutes. We speak your language! Hotel Rooms: 25 Why use Booking.com?Why use Booking.com?Low ratesNo booking fees • Save money! • Best Price Guaranteed 433,412 properties worldwide
Including 116,640 vacation rentals Unbiased reviews26,110,000 reviews from real guests We speak your languageWebsite and customer service in English (US) and 41 other languages Booking is safeWhen you book with us your details are protected by a secure connection. OutdoorsBBQ Facilities, Outdoor Pool, Grounds, Terrace ActivitiesMassage Food & DrinkBar, Breakfast in the Room, Restaurant With Dining Menu, Snack Bar, Special Diet Meals (upon request) InternetFree! Wi-Fi is available in public areas and is free of charge. ParkingFree! Free public parking is available on site (reservation is not needed). ServicesRoom Service, Packed Lunches, Shuttle Service (Surcharge), Airport Shuttle (Surcharge), 24-Hour Front Desk, Express Check-in/Check-out, Currency Exchange, Tour Desk, Baggage Storage, ATM on site, Private Check-in/Check-out, Laundry, Ironing Service, Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Business Center, Fax/Photocopying, Hair/Beauty Salon, Honeymoon Suite GeneralNewspapers, Safe, Shops (on site), Non-smoking Rooms, Family Rooms, Air Conditioning, Designated Smoking Area Languages spokenItalian , French , Spanish , English Check-inFrom 3:00 PM Check-outUntil 1:00 PM Cancellation/
Hotel SabanaLocated in Island of Flowers, just 2 minutes' drive from the mainland and Mundo Maya International Mall, Hotel Sabana offers its guest an outdoor pool plus a hot tub and free Wi-Fi access.
Score from 28 reviews
- 7.5/10
Hotel SantanaLocated on an island amid Peten Itza Lake, this hotel is just 50 metres from the ferry dock and the gold line bus station. Hotel Santana offers free Wi-Fi access and public parking on site.Most recent booking for this hotel was yesterday at 17:42
Score from 56 reviews
- 7.7/10
Hotel Casona del LagoSet on the edge of Lake Peten Itza, facing Flores Island, Hotel Casona del Lago offers an outdoor pool and hot tub. It also features free Wi-Fi and free parking.Most recent booking for this hotel was yesterday at 23:27
Score from 42 reviews
Very good
- 8.3/10
Green World HotelSituated in Isla de las Flores, Green World Hotel is a property that offers its guests currency exchange services on site, gardens and a restaurant. Wi-Fi access is available.Most recent booking for this hotel was yesterday at 20:43
Score from 28 reviews
- 7.9/10

subset: commoncrawl