Canaanite
Menu
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A Meat Lovers Mecca.
If Paul Bunyan had a restaurant in this country, it would be Canaanite.
This meat lovers dream is located in the hills of K’far Adumim about 30 minutes from Jerusalem City Center. Mind you, 24 minutes of the drive was just getting out of Jerusalem, (not kidding). Once on the highway headed down to the lowest point on earth you can enjoy sights that include camels and donkeys and sheep…oh my. The vista will meet your imagination of the landscape our brothers and sisters journeyed throughout for 40 years to finally come here. And if they heard about the food at Canaanite, you will know why they never stopped trying to find the place.
Located in a nook behind a gas station (notice a theme?) Canaanite abuts a dune-buggy adventure center where you can take excursions enjoying the views and the rich history.
The menu is full, but we took the plunge and went for the Chef’s Tasting Platter. The catch with this item is it is all or nothing. Everyone at the table has to agree to this menu item or it cannot be offered. We all agreed and Cannanite obliged!
We started with some seasoned flat breads, an assortment of salads, house made hummus and tapenades. We then were treated to amazing sautéed goose breast and thinly sliced roast beef with a house mustard.
Then a plank of wood that was bigger than the rudder on the HMS Titanic came out smothered in assorted meats. Stabbed into the center of the slab was a knife that was last used in Crocodile Dundee. They literally brought the tray out with dancing, sparklers and loud music. As if we were not excited enough!?
The goose breast skewers were amazing, the entrecote was divine and the lamb and beef fillet were grilled to perfection. The full length chorizo smothered in onions and topped off with a fried egg was as pleasing to the eye as it was the palate. My favorite though, was the 14 hour, slow smoked veal ribs that melted off the bone and in your mouth. Fred Flintstone would be proud of these bad boys! The Matnufeh, or smoked chicken half was a different league of delicious.
Knife Last Seen on Mount Moriah used for Canaanite!
The doggy bag was so large it came with a retractable handle and wheels! This meal was HUGE!
The deserts were forgettable but no one is coming to this kosher version of the Hungry Heifer for the pareve ice cream and fudge pie. Trust me.
It is worth making a mountain out of this molehill of a joint and wander through the dessert to this meat lovers paradise. You will thank me after, I promise!
Speaking of which, thanks and h/t to Rabbi Pilichowski for the scoop on this place!
