If you love Italian food, you can’t go wrong with Pastaria in Ra’anana. Chef Amit Cohen does an excellent job of reproducing the authentic flavors of Italy in the heart of Israel.
The last time I visited Pastaria was six years ago, several years after proprietor, South African-born Hilton Block, saw the light and became religious. Nowadays he sports a large black kippah and is often seen mingling with the diners.
We were a party of three for the current culinary adventure – my usual companion, plus a dear friend and neighbor.
We arrived at 7 p.m. and were happy to encounter several old friends from Ra’anana who had also gone out for some Italian fare.
A culinary adventure
We each selected a starter, and they arrived speedily. We chose arancini, mushroom du Porto, and a small Caesar salad, and we all tasted all three.
The arancini are crispy balls stuffed with cheese and rice, coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried. They are, according to Wikipedia, a staple of Sicilian cuisine. My friend pronounced them “a bit bland” – and she was right. But anything deep fried can’t taste bad, and these were no exception (NIS 44).
The mushroom dish was very good. It came piping hot, and the fungi were all portobello (hence the name), with some spinach leaves in a sweet-and-sour sauce (NIS 46).
The small Caesar salad made a refreshing contrast – crisp cos lettuce leaves, very thin Parmesan slices, and large crunchy croutons, the whole dish topped with grated cheese. It felt very healthful without sacrificing any flavor (NIS 29).
The main courses were, of course, pasta and pizza (there are fish options as well ). We received a Pizza Tartufo – a thin crust mushroom pizza with a distinct truffle flavor (NIS 72); a dish of noodles with the creamy red house sauce; and tuna rossa, spaghetti with undercooked fresh tuna, which our very efficient waiter, Matan, explained was achieved by adding the raw fish to the very hot pasta so that it acquired a minimal amount of cooking. The fish was salty and full of flavor (NIS 69).
After a short break from food during which we enjoyed the singing of Ayelet and Racheli, who appear at Pastaria on Tuesday evenings (not during the Three Weeks), we were ready for dessert.
We each chose one, all impressively delicious: crack pie; tiramisu; and crème brûlée. Each was a classic and time-honored version of itself (NIS 44/45).
We drank Villacape Rosé, ice cold semi-dry wine, which was the ideal choice for the meal we had enjoyed.
We all agreed that it had been an exceptionally good meal and a very pleasant evening out.
Pastaria
184 Ahuza Street
Ra’anana
Tel: (09) 773-4383
Sunday-Thursday, noon-10 p.m.; Friday, Saturday night – closed.
Kashrut: Ra’anana Rabbinate.
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.