Picual fine dining: Serving the Land of Israel, one course at a time - review

Picual is a glatt kosher fine dining restaurant in Rishon Lezion, founded by restaurateur Itzik Kadosh and chef Dor Benjamin. At the heart of the concept stands the Picual olive from the Achiya Farm in the Binyamin region, an ingredient that accompanies almost every dish on the menu.

The experience at Picual is built around a 10-course tasting menu. There is no menu to browse, and no question of “What would you like?” Instead, there is a carefully choreographed journey of 10 courses. The menu is fixed, with no substitutions. From the outset, it is clear that this is a thoughtfully designed experience.

The portions are small, as befits works of art, yet the flavors are extraordinary. Each spoonful lands on the tongue with remarkable precision, allowing every component to be appreciated individually and as part of a harmonious whole.

The meal begins with tiny yellow spheres that burst in the mouth, releasing a sweet liquid, a culinary interpretation of the biblical phrase, “A land of olive oil and honey.”

They are followed by imaginative appetizers, including a miniature roasted eggplant taco and a Moroccan carrot tartlet topped with trout caviar. The combinations are bold, yet they come together in surprising harmony.

A warm brioche challah fresh from the tabun oven, accompanied by silky olive oil butter, prepares the palate for one of the evening’s signature dishes: amberjack sashimi with grapes and fish roe.

It is a delicate and beautifully balanced creation that bridges sea and vineyard, salt and sweetness.

Presentation is an integral part of the experience. Most dishes arrive on slabs of basalt stone or smooth river pebbles, reflecting the restaurant’s desire to bring the land itself to the table.

The aromas of smoke, charred leaves, and the sea fill the room, while the succulent flesh more than justifies the spectacle.

After a refreshing celery sorbet cleanses the palate, the meat courses arrive: beef tartare, a potato latke with za’atar, and sheitel glazed with fermented chili.

The finale is a perfectly cooked pink sirloin accompanied by Jerusalem artichoke confit in Picual olive oil. A tartlet scented with cinnamon and paprika adds warmth, while cashew, caramel, and black garlic bring the dish to a hypnotic level of complexity.

There is a genuine effort here to translate this land, its stones, olives, and memories, and place it on a plate. Not as decoration, but as essence.

One of Picual’s most distinctive features is the chef’s presence throughout the evening. He moves from table to table, explaining the ideas behind the dishes and sharing the memories and stories that inspired them. The meal becomes a fusion of gastronomy, theater, and personal storytelling.

Picual is not a restaurant you stumble upon by chance. It is a three-hour experience that asks diners to slow down, listen, and savor.

And when you leave at the end of the evening, what lingers is not merely a pleasant taste, but the scent of earth and olive wood that stays with you long after the meal has ended.

For that reason, Picual is one of the most intriguing and impressive kosher dining experiences I have encountered in recent years.■