My trip down to the Bodega

 

 

This is my blog post that was published on yeahthatskosher.com! Enjoy!

If any of you have visited Gush Etzion lately, you will notice that the culinary scene has had a change, after many years of only having coffee shops and dairy eateries. People demanded meat restaurants and Menachem Katz delivered. An Efrat native, who wanted to be a lawyer but ended up in the food industry for many years, and eventually fulfilled his lifelong dream of opening his own restaurant. He got his culinary education under renowned Israeli chef Yossi ben Dayan at the Hadassah college. His passions are food and music and that’s what brought him to open the Bodega.

Menachem decided to call the place the Bodega because at a bodega you can get your daily fix. Originally wanted to call it Avocado but “Bodega” was catchier because the abstract to the east coast. Located in the Efrat shopping mall where a supermarket used to be (ironicly), the Bodega offers a unique fusion of Mexican and Japanese cuisine. You can order sushi and a burrito in the same place. The main crowd that we met at the Bodega was a young and hip crowd, whether singles or young couples, everyone came to enjoy not only a good meal but also a live show. When I was there, there was a live jazz band scatting away while playing great music. It was a bit loud for the size of the place but still nice to get live entertainment in an area where it never existed.

We started with a Saki sour that was delicious, after that we moved on a beer taster. They hold many beers that are made in locally in Israel on tap: Dancing camel, Shapira and more. All the beers were really good, from the IPA to the lagers. The rest of the alcohol menu is also great, from different bottled beers to cocktails.

The food menu at the restaurant is different than your regular menu because of the cuisine fusion. We ordered chili fries, sushi and hot wings. The hot wings where deep fried to perfection and coated with a sauce that was spicy, but in the right manner. When you feel the heat at the back of your throat and doesn’t burn your tongue so you can’t enjoy the rest of your meal. The sushi was very good. I liked the way he put a jalapeño chili on top of one of the rolls to really get the fusion vibe. The chili fries were different than just any fries. They are seasoned battered French fries, which by concept is a great idea. The chili topping was nice but a bit under seasoned and the fries turned into one big chunk of fries.

For the mains we ordered many different items: Steak salad that was cooked to a perfect medium rare; Chicken salad that was seasoned nicely. The tortilla chips were a very nice addition to make the salad crunchy.  The burritos are made from premium cuts of beef and wrapped nicely with rice and beans. I personally ordered a burger done medium and a beef hot dog.  The hamburger I ordered wasn’t the greatest, it was well done which dried out the hamburger. On the other hand the hot dog was on point. Covered with pico de gallo and sauerkraut it was the highlight of my night. The service was a bit slow but they were swamped that night.

The Bodega is a one of a kind concept that fits the Gush Etzion crowd. Live music, good food, what else do you need to enjoy a great night out?!

Sweet&Spicy BBQ Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Short ribs are a great cut of beef. In Israel they go by Asado. The way to cook them is low and slow, and the result is a tender, juicy, succulent piece of meat. The way I make them here is a 2 stage process. Because most of us don’t own smoking devices in our back yard, here’s how I do it. Start in the oven and finish on the grill. It is able to cook through in the oven, and gets that smokiness from the finish on the grill. So, here we go! The dry rub here can go on any piece of meat you like too so make a batch and save for later use!( also great on potatoes)

Cooking time: 2 1\2 hours in the oven, 10 minutes on the grill

For the dry rub for the ribs:

• 1/4 cup paprika
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1\2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1\2  tablespoon seasoned salt
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• BBQ sauce of your choice

• 1-1 1\2 kilos of short ribs, connected in 1 piece

How to cook:

Before anything gets done, the meat needs to be room temperature to get an even cook. That is the iron rule with any piece of meat!

1. Turn oven on 150c\300f, and place the rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the dry rub together and sprinkle on the ribs. Coat generously. (At this point, you can roast the ribs immediately, but for the best flavor and texture, refrigerate them for up to 24 hours.)
3. Place ribs in the oven in a roasting tin, cover with foil for 2 1\2 hours in the oven.
4. After 2 hours of cooking turn on your bbq on 175c\350f.
5. After 2 1\2 hours remove from the oven and transfer to the bbq.
6. Slather the ribs with bbq sauce on both sides and grill for 5 minutes on each side.
7. Remove the ribs and let it rest for 10 minutes and then serve!

Enjoy!