Pitmaster
Reservations (no menu - read below)
****
₪₪
This is NOT my first BBQ……but it is my favorite!
At Cinema City, across from the street from the Israeli Supreme Court, you will find the newest dining sensation, Pitmaster, Jerusalem.
This is a fressers fairy-tale come true and nothing like any other restaurant I have visited in this country.
Pitmaster is a franchise with its newest station opening in the heart of Jerusalem just this week. I was blessed to be one of the first to try its eats. What an honor!
Pitmaster is an experience and a restaurant. Almost like a cousin of hibachi, but with smoking and barbecued meats and fowl. The brainchild of Zvi Steinfeld and a few notable others focuses on all types of smoked and grilled meats in large metal vats that slow cook, smoke and specially grills foods to perfection. These large grates holding meat can be dialed up and down by hand to adjust the distance of the food to the burning oak below to create the perfect sear and grill.
There is no menu at this restaurant. The dishes are always seven courses and each meat and what and how it is served is chosen by the pitmaster in charge that particular evening. There are currently five pitmasters on rotation, and each are the star of the show that night. This Chavaya is complete with a Madonna (hands free) microphone worn by the pitmaster, and large screen TVs stationed throughout the room, like a sports bar. Except these TVs only showed the slicing and mastery of the pitmaster for all near and far to marvel at.
Now that you get the idea, lets share the experience we enjoyed and the menu that was chosen for this particular night, by chef Zvi, our pitmaster.
We were brought to our long table that seated about 25 people. Already waiting for us was a delicious green salad with a terrific and tangy vinaigrette. It was placed next to some cut up beets for us to enjoy. Our waiters and waitresses took our drink orders and made sure our glasses were never empty.
The lights dimmed, the music blared and Zvi, our pitmaster for the night came out, like he was headlining the Blue Room at the Bellagio in Vegas. Romps and cheers and claps galore followed. We eagerly prepped ourselves for the seven courses of meat that would follow.
The first course was an amazing Shepherds Pie. This would have made King David, proud! The ground beef on the bottom was smoked and braised with red wine and flavored perfectly. The potatoes on top were creamy and crispy. I could have eaten all of this, but I knew I had to pace myself. This was scrumptious and very unique and the perfect fore-shpeis to what would be a memorable evening!
The next course, and all subsequent courses were introduced by the ringing of the giant bell in the middle of the restaurant. This was a fantastic pulled barbecue beef that was served over a bed of flavored rice and topped with colorful scallion. This was just delicious!
Next came a very unique and special slow roasted osso-bucco (lamb) and lamb shoulder served on a bed of grilled cabbage and onions and then topped with shawarma chicken thighs and a generous helping of sumac. Much like at Hibachi (minus the onion volcano and egg-roll jokes), the chef called on volunteers to help with the preparation and explained the cooking process to the crowd. It was then plated and shared for us to enjoy. This was so flavorful and by far nothing you would taste anywhere else. Exquisite!
Course four consisted of ribeye, a favorite of this rabbi….or as they call it here, entrecôte. It was grilled in a reverse sear and only had salt and pepper in its preparation. This minimal approach to flavor allowed us to taste the natural juice and gifts of the meat, organically. Wow was it special.
In my life, I have eaten my share of meat. Probably a few dozen herd of cow, including plenty o’pounds of entrecôte. This was as tasty as I have ever enjoyed in my life. Grilled perfectly and to perfection.
Like any movie in Israel, this show had an intermission. It allowed the patrons to smoke and use the bathroom and it gave us all the opportunity to try a frozen arak grapefruit palate cleanser. It was better than ANY margarita you could sip! Yum!
We then moved on to a slow smoked and roasted short rib that was by far my favorite. It was full of flavor and soft and a a great crust. You did not need a knife because this meat melted in your mouth. In Israel they call this cut Assado, but for us foodies, it was a seasoned and smoked short rib. Like any good BBQ – the bones were gently pulled out and cleanly came off the meat like an artist removing a veil over her painting. This dish was served with an amazing chimichurri tapenade. The tapenade was soooo good, but it overpowered the natural flavor of the beef. I ate them both, but separately. It was just insanely delicious. Off the chain, as the kids say!
The next course was a smoked chicken breast with some more beef rib assado, wrapped in a tortilla and then toasted and topped with homemade chili sauce. By this time, my stomach was feeling much like my gas tank when it is full, but I am desperately trying to get the meter to read $50. Full but shtupping in more. Ugh. (Truth is, I live in NJ and never pump my own gas. Still, you get the image).
The last meat dish was a tataki that was grilled quickly to be seared on the outside, rare on the inside. It was plated with crushed pistachio and a toffee sauce. Yes, sweet toffee. It sounded weird, I admit. But the tastes worked magnificently. I loved this and not a morsel was left on our plates.
Dessert was fresh watermelon and some warm chocolate babka, served alongside a choice of tea or Turkish coffee. It hit the spot.
Throughout this magical experience, the waitstaff would come by and reload our plates with any and all of the meats served, they would bring chasers (shots) and make sure we were enjoying ourselves, which we did, immensely.
So, a few important takeaways: This is an experience as much as it is a meal. DO not come “kinda hungry.” This is a place to arrive when you have not eaten in weeks and/or plan to not eat again for months. I can hold my own with the best of them, and I woke up the next morning stuffed to the gills and felt the same all throughout the day. Not gross. Just full.
But, more importantly than the experience, which is a 10 out of 10, is the quality of the food. Honestly, this is some of the very best fleishig food I have ever enjoyed. This is more than the experience, but a culinary window into serious smoking and barbecue that would give any place in Texas a kosher run for its money. Each item was delicious, unique and not easily replicated anywhere else here.
When the bill came around at the end of the meal, I was nervous. Since this was an exclusive experience and so much meat, I was worried it would cost over $100/370 NIS per person. I was WAY wrong. All in it was 240 NIS ($60) per person. That includes all food, drink and all the sides and extras. That is VERY reasonable, especially considering the value and plenitude provided.
One catch – there are NO take-away containers. Whatever is not consumed at the table goes into the garbage. This bothered me more for the wastefulness and the hungry people of the world than it did for making a second meal for ourselves the next day. I hope they reconsider something to defray waste. That is my only complaint.
Before you head over to Pitmaster, a few VERY important things to note:
·You can NOT walk in. You MUST have a reservation and there is ONE seating per day (2 on Thursdays) at a set time.
You cannot come in late.
There is no menu. All dishes are chosen for you and there is nothing a la carte. One night might be brisket and prime rib, the next, assado and pulled beef. Dealers choice!
Eating is family style where strangers will be paired up at long tables and friendships forged that will last forever.
The price is fixed, and it includes bottomless wine and beer and endless amounts of meat.
This is an entertainment experience that is lively and fun.
Call them up and get a reservation right away for this unique, special and delicious experience that you will not soon forget!
