4 Falafels, $$, Meat, Grill, Modi’in, Take OutDavid-Seth KirshnerJuly 09, 2021ShukOchel

ShukOchel

4 Falafels, $$, Meat, Grill, Modi’in, Take OutDavid-Seth KirshnerJuly 09, 2021ShukOchel

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The Mother Load of Yums!

I have found the pot at the end of the rainbow. The mother load of yum. The Hope Diamond of food. The jackpot on the slot machine of eats!

It is found in Shilat, just a few klicks away from Modiin. Appropriately, it is called ShukOchel which translates loosely to the market of food.

At this child of the 443 Grill, owned and operated by the same people, you will find a renovated grocery store that is used for one time a week - Shabbat food.

Enter this culinary playground and you will be greeted with the scents and aromas of the world to come. Fresh baked Challot on racks integrate with the fragrant spices found in meat kebabs and the scent of olive oil frying eggplant that makes a gorgeous mixture to draw you in deeper to the store.

The location is an open market of tables. Each set of tables offers different varieties of food. For example, one table has 8 varieties of seasoned and flavored rices. Another table has 7 varieties of fish. The stuffed table was my favorite.There you could find stuffed grapes leaves, zucchini, squash, peppers, cabbage, onions, mini peppers, carrots and more. All filled with rices, beans, meats and a perfect blend of spices.

The hot stations included 4 types of Hamin (the Sephardic name for cholent) kubbeh soup varieties and meat chili.

Adorning each table was ShukOchel’s own blend of Arak. We bought the passionfruit Arak and I have never looked so forward to getting drunk!

Most stores at check-out have gum, candy bars and People Magazine while waiting in line. Not ShukOchel! True to form, they have schnitzel and eggplant sandwiches on a toasted bun with tomato paste and herbs. I gazed at it in wonder and the cashier told me in Hebrew that I wont regret it. She was right. It was delicious!

I ran into some friends who live near Shilat who were also shopping there, (it was shoulder to shoulder people) and they asked where I was staying while in Israel. I said Jerusalem. It did not even phase them that I shlepped 36 minutes and 23 miles to get our prepared food here. Plus food for the seemingly 400 people we bought for was less than $150

There are days that are sacred in my life. The day I proposed to my wife. The day of our wedding. The day my children were born. When I held my kids hand while entering Israel for the first time….and today, when I discovered ShukOchel.