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Assaf Granit’s first Kosher restaurant. It was worth the wait!

How far would you drive for a great meal? Not a good meal. Not something remarkable. Something extra-ordinary that you could say was worth the tank of gas and hours it took to get there.

Would you drive from Peoria to Chicago for Deep-dish Pizza?

Would you drive from Palm Beach to Miami for a Cuban sandwich?

Would you drive from Wilmington to Philly for a Cheesesteak?

Would you drive from San Antonio to Austin for Barbecue?

Well, I am not sure how you answered those questions. But, unequivocally, undoubtedly, unquestionably I would drive from Jerusalem (or Tel Aviv) to Tiberias to eat at Lotte. And if you make the trek, you will be glad you did.

Lotte is the newest of Michelin Chef Asaf Granit’s restaurants – and his first to be under kosher supervision. Located in the newly renovated and chic design of the Galei Kinneret Hotel, this place lives up to Granit’s standards of delicious and bold tastes along with a festive and fun vibe and perfectly appointed décor that is dashing and stylish.

The space is swanky and large and offers outdoor seating overlooking the stunning pool. We arrived just as the sun was setting and shimmering on the Sea of Galilee. The view was breathtaking.
Our table was situated near the open kitchen so we could see and smell the artists showing off their trade. The set up was modeled after the very best establishments – where each dish was finished to perfection with season and garnish by the head chef on duty.

Our appetizers included a classic pita that was hot out of the brick oven and a round bulke style roll that was sweet and soft, both served with spicy harissa on the side. We then were treated to divine eggplant that had drizzled tahini and hazelnuts peppered throughout. Unlike places that do not know to remove the skin of the eggplant before it is roasted to remove the char taste, Lotte nailed this dish. It was subtle, soft and flavorful.

The two salads, a classic frisée with fresh vegetables and a chunky style garden salad were insanely fresh and delicious. The winning appetizer for me was the Tiberian Breasola. This was a pickled sirloin that was dehydrated over time (but NOT chewy like a jerky), that sat on a bed of celery relish and lemon aioli. It was insane! Second was the sliced shwarma pargit served on flat naan bread (pita meets malawach) and spiced to perfection.

The crispy fish was brought on a bed of romaine, and we were encouraged to eat it like a Thai chicken or Korean beef roll, by wrapping the fish in the lettuce and sprinkling some zatar and schug spices on it. Wow! I mean super wow! This was not your Long John Silver's fish nuggets. This was exceptional. And the time that it took for the food to get from the oven or fryer to our plate was seconds. Nothing was lost in temperature and delivery.

This is a good time to add that the wait staff were fun, funky and knew their business. They serviced us with a wide smile and laughter and made the dinner more of an experience. They made a very good meal, great!

The main dishes included trout. It was seared with a crunchy skin and soft, dainty and flakey meat. I loved it. The onion tortellini were brought in a bowl with artichoke stock, shallot chips and shaved Brazilian nuts. The pasta was handmade and was worthy of the best restaurant in Capri.

We then had a platter of meats, which included sirloin that was soft and cooked perfectly, entrecôte that was sliced by an artist and the softest and tastiest brisket I might have ever sunk my teeth into. This was beyond special and different. Even the ends of the brisket were strong enough to stay intact but were soft enough to be cut with a butter knife and melt in your mouth.

This meal left me speechless.

To be painfully honest the desserts were VERY good, but not on par with the meal. Do not get me wrong. They were still excellent. But not as exceptional as everything else we tried.

By far the most unique dessert was the sutlach. This was a rice pudding with cardamom and nutmeg and small grinds of espresso served over a cookie crumble and with pareve date flavored ice cream. If you were able to get all of the items in one spoonful, you could taste a special marriage in your mouth.

One more word about the décor. The southern wall was adorned with fancy China plates and looked like the dish room in the White House. Because this establishment is in Tiberias, we might have been the only Ashkenazim in the joint. But the fact that Sephardic women would eat here and enjoy the meal speaks VOLUMES about its temerity and bonafides.

I really hope that Granit takes a page out of the Eyal Shani play book and opens up other kosher places to follow. He is a special talent and his gifts should be shared with the kosher eaters of the world, wherever they are located.

Waze tells me that without traffic I am one hour and 47 minutes away (115 miles) from Jerusalem, City Center to Lotte in Tiberias. That is a small amount of time and travel for such a memorable and delectable meal.

I look forward to seeing you on Kvish Shesh (6 Highway) as we race back here for some more of this special meal!