Ingredient appreciation — what makes Israeli Salad special

What sets Israeli Salad apart is the handling of Medjool dates. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the sweet and tangy result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

Israeli cuisine is shaped by Jewish diaspora traditions from across the world fused with local Levantine ingredients. The a Carmel Market street stall atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had arak as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Israeli Salad is the place to start.