I Have No Idea What I Ate But It Was Delicious at Julie

Zoe Wernick
Jun 3, 2016
4 min read

What I do know for sure is that there was no Gluten!

I've been dragging my feet for weeks now about writing this article. I had what is most definitely my favorite meal so far in Tel Aviv, yet I have no idea what I ate. How do you do a restaurant justice if you don't even know the names of the things you consumed?! With so little to go on, can I accurately portray the experience that I had? But it was so good, and so special, and everything is gluten free, so I know it's time I give it a try.

I walk past Julie every time I go grocery shopping. It's situated on Yom Tov Street in the Kerem Hateimanim neighborhood, one street west parallel to Shuk HaCarmel, on a sunny corner of the cobblestoned street. It's a busy intersection for shoppers, residents, and it seems to be where some of the older generation like to gather and catch up. But the early morning is when there is something magical about that certain corner. The combination of morning sun, greenery, cobblestones, and light chatter is perfect. I love walking through there.

And each time I passed Julie when it was open the smell was heavenly. Plus all the people sitting there looked happy. And full. The small window into the kitchen was a peek into what looked like your grandmother's kitchen, complete with a grandmotherly woman stirring a battalion of pots. If the sights and smells weren't enough to peek my curiosity, I also love trying new cuisines, and the chalkboard on the front said it was Egyptian food, so I put it on my list to try at some point. But then one day when I noticed an orange sign in a side window. I don't know what it is, but somehow, even with tiny letters or out of the way signs, I'm always hyper aware of these sorts of things. "GLUTEN FREE FOOD," it proclaimed, my happy heart skipped a beat, and suddenly Julie was propelled to the top.

Just a few days later we finally found ourselves there. It was midday on the Friday of Purim, and the atmosphere in the street was extra exuberant and made for some truly singular people watching (there was a dance circle nearby at one point). But we put ourselves down at at table in the front, shoved all our grocery bags under our feet and waited to order.

"Do you eat everything?" our waiter asked, smiling as he crouched down at our level. Okay, not the usual way your server greets you but I tried to go with it as best I could while the terrified allergy demon screamed inside of me in fear.

"Uhhhh..." I managed to stammer, "I saw a sign for Gluten Free Food?"

"Yes," he replied. "My Uncle is Celiacs. Everything is Gluten Free."

Oh, that magic word. Everything.

"Then yes," I giddily replied, excited to get to say this. "We eat everything."

"Meat?" We nodded.

"You guys want an appetizer?" We shrugged and then decided, "Why not!" He wrote it down and turned to leave just as the excitement from getting to say everything had worn off, just in time for me to realize....

"OH! Nuts! I don't eat nuts! I'm allergic." I sheepishly remembered.

"No problem. I will bring you food."

We waited a bit, watching the dancing people and passersby in increasingly ridiculous get-ups (Purim is like Halloween for the rest of the world), and started to wonder about our food after a while, especially when our neighbors who had arrived after us got their food first. But just when we were confused enough to have decided to ask, our appetizer came.

Our appetizers.

Two small plates were set in front of us, wafting delicious smells. One was definitely eggplant rolled up with some sort of meat inside, and the other was something not quite as pretty but reminiscent of a crab cake. The eggplant and meat was good - very good - but that "crab" cake.....oh man it was out of this world. I dissected it slowly and tried to guess what that little pillow of heaven contained from both sight and taste, and finally settled on leek and something. Our waiter did confirm that it was leek, but when pressed about them more he said, "I don't really know how they make them, all I know is that they take three days to make." Oh it sure tasted like there was three days of love in those cakes.

The main course came out shortly after that. A different bowl was set in front of each of us - one reddish, and one greenish, both structured the same (meat/veggie, rice, peas) but obviously different flavors. The meat on the tomato based red dish was superb while the more acidic flavor profile of the green dish was especially unique and tasty. We practically inhaled it all, and it was gone before we knew it.

Our second main course dish.

After our meal we sipped on middle eastern cardamom coffee while my boyfriend enjoyed a piece of cake (not gluten free), watching the people in the street and in the restaurant. The grandmotherly woman had come out to ask us if we wanted cake and coffee, and she had lingered to talk to the table next to us. Standing there, with our waiter and the 'busboy' next to him I realized I was looking at three generations. Truly, a family business.

As we were walking away, stuffed, delighted, and satiated I realized, I had no idea what I ate but it was delicious.

I would call that a fail for the food writer, but a win for the stomach. Guess I'll have to go back and eat there again soon, just for, ahem, research, you know. To get more information for you all. Not because it was my favorite meal in Tel Aviv so far or anything.

So there you all have it. I've done what I can, but I knew from the start that I was destined to fall short of capturing the spirit and experience of this place. That afternoon and meal was really such a treat. So here's a suggestion - stop reading this and go out there and try it yourself! You won't be sorry.

Julie

Yom Tov 29

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 💰💰💰