Keep the same team and start again! One year after the closure of Balagan and its 'merry mess' (in Hebrew), the same team of #10 Assaf Granit, Tomer Lanzman, Dan Yosha and Uri Navon unveil Kapara in place of their previous restaurant.
Apart from the name, there are few drastic changes: the home-style welcome remains the same, and the cheerful atmosphere and Levantine specialties (chicken liver pâté) remain unchanged. Chef Zohar Sasson now executes the creations of Michelin-starred chef Assaf Granit, and it's a fine choice of casting.
The colorful, mismatched plates of Kapara 's specialties take us back to our fondest vacation memories, accompanied by mouth-watering wines from the best terroirs of France, Greece, Lebanon and, of course, Israel.
Octopus fondant (18€) under a mountain of chickpeas, celery and fresh herbs, tabouleh-style, seasoned with flambéed grapefruit and a spicy sauce; tuna tartare (16€) more bistronomic than the rest of the offerings, with Jerusalem artichoke chips; fattoush salad (24€) dotted with croutons, feta and sumac. It's fresh, it's green, it's spicy, it glides right along.
The suite plays hot and cold, with lamb chops (34€) accompanied by a very nice shallot mashi - the little Levantine stuffing - topped with freekeh wheat and baby vegetables; and a sea bass with harira sauce (not harissa; 26€). Depending on where you pick from the plates, you may be caressed by the sweetness of a yoghurt cream in its simplest form, or overcome by the uppercut of a green zhug.
Emotions run the gamut, as they do when we dip the long frenavon bread (€9), served warm, in tahini, zhug or crushed tomatoes. The lunch ends with a sweet mouhalabieh with rose (11€), raisins and pine nuts, and a chocolate mousse (14€) topped with a saving drizzle of olive oil and fleur de sel.
For lunch, expect to pay 35€ for a starter/main course or main course/dessert, and 40€ for the full menu. Good humor and generosity are on the house!
