Treysar in Tel Aviv: A gourmet port of call - review

When the restaurant Mul Yam opened in the Tel Aviv Port in 1995, it set new standards for gourmet seafood dining in Israel. That iconic eatery closed its doors a decade ago, after it was destroyed in a fire. But a worthy successor has arisen, figuratively, from those ashes, once again turning this north Tel Aviv locale into an essential port of call for local and visiting foodies.

Treysar is Hebrew for “dozen,” and the restaurant’s name is a clever nod to both its address and the cooking approach being taken by chef Aner Ben-Raphael Furman. The restaurant is located on the second floor of the port’s Hangar 12, accessed via a narrow stairway (which could be better marked) found in the midst of the Farmer’s Market on the ground level.

It’s a fitting location, since the restaurant is dedicated to using the freshest produce and fish available – what Furman dubs “micro-seasonality’’ cooking, dependent on the 12-month cycle of the year, hence Treysar’s name.

It’s the kind of approach in the kitchen one would expect from Furman – a star chef who has earned a reputation for culinary creativity in previous restaurants such as as Igra Rama and Alter – who recently opened the Telem bistro in Tel Aviv’s G Center, and hosted the Meal of a Lifetime cooking and talk show a few years ago on KAN.

Upon entering Treysar’s dining area, the floor-to-ceiling windows, offering an expansive view of the port and the sea, immediately catch the eye. We had reserved our table for 6 p.m. so we could enjoy watching the sunset as we dined.

But it was also an opportunity to take advantage of a special offer: a starters course available from 6-7 p.m., which includes five appetizer dishes accompanied by a slice of sourdough bread for NIS 66, along with a selection of Israeli wines at NIS 42 per glass, and a 15% discount on all dishes and drinks on the extended evening menu.

Our selection included fried zucchini in spiced yogurt with dried mint; semi-dried Maggi tomato in tomato consommé and basil oil; steamed potatoes in whipped brown butter with dates and pecorino; eggplant soup cooked in milk with caramelized onion and feta; and a short-crust pastry fried and stuffed with hyssop, onions, tomato, and shoshka (a type of pepper).

With the exception of the potatoes, which could have used more seasoning, these were all delicious bites with plenty of flavor. The standouts were the eggplant soup and stuffed pastry that were outstanding examples of Furman’s originality – dishes unlike any other I’ve had in restaurants here.

For its wine list, Treysar draws from a selection of boutique Israeli producers. We went for a Chenin Blanc from Pinto, a relatively new winery with a vineyard near Yeroham. This was my first taste from this winery, and this fresh but full-bodied white wine, with a citrusy note, was further proof that Israeli vintners are proving that the Negev’s desert terrain can provide a suitable terroir to produce outstanding wines.

I sampled a cocktail from the selection created by resident mixologist Amit Katzovich, choosing the Treysour (NIS 64), a tangy mix of vodka, lemon, bitter fennel, and date rosette.

Treysar’s main menu is divided into four categories: cold vegetable-based dishes, hot vegetable dishes, fish and seafood, and meat. All the dishes are medium-sized, and we found that for two of us, four entrées were more than sufficient.

Now, even when I eat out at non-kosher restaurants like Treysar, I order “kosher style.’’ So my companion and I decided to focus on fish and vegetable dishes, of which there are plenty. Our charming server, Julia, was particularly helpful. She pointed out that beef stock was used in one of our selections and said she would instruct the kitchen to substitute a non-meat ingredient for it.

We selected several dishes: the chopped and charred sea fish larb; eggplant aioli; chili herbs, onion, and crispy bulgar (NIS 98); zucchini “spaghetti,’’ with sea fish tartare, butter, lemon, herbs, chili, basil (NIS 108); hot feta cheese wrapped with pumpkin and sunflower seeds; peeled Maggie tomato and Maggie tomato cream (NIS 76); and Pichi Kobe with cordyceps mushrooms and broth, leshem cheese, and butter (NIS 118).

Obviously, this is cooking done on a complex level. For example, larb usually refers to a Thai-style minced meat or poultry dish, but here it was prepared using albacore tuna with a moderately spicy tang. But the preparation is done with appropriate respect to the basic ingredients so that the taste of each item retains its integrity.

The fish offerings were all fresh and firm, especially the kobe (or cobia), a saltwater fish with a buttery flavor similar to mahi-mahi and not so common on local menus. A real standout was the zucchini, with the long, thin vegetables indeed looking like a pasta, mixing perfectly with the fish tartare.

That same approach carried over to the dessert menu, from which we selected pistachio sticky toffee with mascarpone cream (NIS 52); and Treysar’s version of the Middle Eastern sweet basbousa, with the usual semolina cake paired with an unusual za’atar cream (NIS 52). Both provided a delicious capstone to an exceptional meal.

With its novel approach to using the best local ingredients in unexpected ways, and its extensive menu changing by the month, a visit to Treysar is one that lovers of creative, fine cuisine will have to put on their calendar.

Hangar 12, Tel Aviv Port (2nd floor of the Port Market)

Tel: 074-758-5353

Hours: Monday-Friday, 6 p.m.-11 p.m.

Not kosher