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Animar

Tel Aviv

Casual Turkish-Persian hybrid gastronomy served up with a beachside view

On the Pass

Hilel Tavakuli

The story behind the food: Chef Hilel Tavakuli grew up in a Jewish Persian-Libyan household, experiencing two cuisines famous for their use of spices. In his restaurant, he combines the flavours of his home, mixed with Mediterranean and Turkish inspiration. The result is elegant, intelligent dishes with surprising complexity and unexpected combinations.

Relaxed atmosphere: Animar is a casual fine-dining restaurant with large windows giving a panoramic view of the sandy beach. The music and decor combine in a relatively relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.

How does the menu work? Like many restaurants of the region, Animar is best experienced when the food is shared by all guests at the table. The menu includes dishes of various sizes – from traditional north African and east Mediterranean mezzes and small starters to main courses suitable for three or four diners – divided into sections denoting their origin, such as ‘The Sea’ and ‘The Land’.

The honed classics: Chef Tavakuli’s dishes beautifully deconstruct Turkish, Persian and North African classics. Small plates of roasted jibneh cheese served with tomato salsa, Jerusalem artichoke, za’atar and olive oil set meals off on a strong trajectory. Courses of yellowtail served with a ras el hanut caramel, sesame and basil oil, and likritz tenderloin kebabs deliver a strong follow-up.

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