The Search For Chinese Food In Israel
I have favorites just like everyone else — when it comes to food its avocados, caviar, cheese and dark chocolate. When it comes to cooking I love roasting veggies, braising a brisket and frying just about anything. 5 building block ingredients I can’t live without are (Kosher) salt, (fresh cracked) black pepper, (good-quality) extra virgin olive oil and lots of onions and garlic. Israeli fast food speaks to my soul. I think everything is better with chummus, and amba, and wrapped in a laffa. And all-in-all I have enjoyed great culinary satisfaction (my oven notwithstanding) in this country these past few months.
Stir Fry
One craving I have yet to feed though is my Chinese food addiction. Out of a carton, in PJs, late at night (when the kids are sleeping so I can enjoy my food in peace), hot or cold or at room temp (you can see I am very picky here) is how I like it. I never want to actually go out for Chinese, egg rolls just aren’t the same when seated in a stiff restaurant chair. All I ask, all I want, all I need is a delivery (ideally), take-out (manageable) place near by so we can splurge on a whim and order one of everything on the menu. Chinese food shouldn’t be planned. If the delivery guy asks I am prepared with an answer… I would assure him that there are 25 friends just in the other room waiting to devour ALL this food. But luckily Chinese food delivery dudes aren’t the prying kind.
Well here in RBS, we have yet to find a Chinese place. I am desperate – yes sounds slightly melodramatic but anyone reading this blog takes their food somewhat seriously enough to know what this feels like. Anyone have any recommendations for me here or even in Jerusalem?
Lo Mein
In the meantime I will soothe my soul with Stir Fry, Lo Mein and Sweet and Sour Chicken that I am forced (the horror of it all) to make for myself. I would feel a little better if I could eat it out of the box. Anyone know where I can at least get those?
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About jamie geller
Jamie Geller is a bestselling author of the wildly successful QUICK & KOSHER cookbook...
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When I was growing up my Mom didn’t like sweet and sour so we NEVER ordered it. Didn’t taste until I was an adult and LOVE it so much, it’s one of my favorites, especially with pineapple
When I was growing up we never ate sweet and sour because my Mom didn’t like it! When I was an adult an tried it, I loved it, especially when it has pineapple! Looks wonderful.
I hope you can find those take out boxes and some chop sticks, you can fool your kids.
Oh, I love eating out of take out boxes.
In Seattle, I grew up eating vegan sweet and sour chicken (no kosher meat restaurants in Seattle) and never actually made the real-deal! I have to try these recipes
Sheyan in Rechavia is our favorite!
is that the one in or by the windmill?
Yes. We love sheyan!!
We went to one called The Oriental (Sheinfeld Center
02-999-9488) that we really liked.
The Oriental closed down a few years ago, but I think the owners sometimes will still take orders.
you are so funny. I hope you find something, homemade isn’t the same as the greasy, saucy, bad-for-you chinese food from the carton…
I also have a Chinese food addiction . I would also love to find a place in RBS that has Chinese.
Unfortunately you’re going to have to do without some Oriental food staples like year-round snow peas and bok choy. Nappa cabbage can be found but not easily. And forget about canned bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.
I’ve learned to make my own sweet and sour chicken, lo-mein and Mongolian beef.
Oh, and you can kiss the chewy egg roll wrappers goodbye. All you can find are the Moroccan cigar wrappers and they are NOT the same. And I advise you steer clear from the frozen egg rolls. I’m actually about to buy a pasta maker and one of the first things I plan to make are egg roll wrappers.
lol both funny and depressing and challenging and ok bc we live in the most amazing place in the world!
The great thing about Chinese cuisine is that you don’t need exotic hard-to-find ingredients. We Chinese, we go all around the world and we eat everything and cook it Chinese-style.
For example, you can use normal frozen peas/corn/carrots for Chinese fried rice. I have never eaten “bamboo shoots” before, but we do stir-fry common “Western” vegetables like capsicum and iceberg lettuce. You will need soy sauce and sesame oil, of course, besides white pepper. Maybe there is a kosher version of oyster sauce. You could probably replicate the Chinese “five spice” because the spices are very common Middle Eastern ones – fennel, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, and star anise. We use that for braises, roasts, roast duck, fried chicken, etc. etc.
Shalom!
There is yosi pakeen in Jerusalem which is very good! U can sit in or take out tho not sure about delivery. There is also a gr8 place in tel aviv called china lee it’s not far from the beech and very good food. Both have a good hechsher
Hope this helps someone
SarAh
helps a ton!! thank you SO much!
There is Corusin in Center one in Jerusalem or in the Malcha Mall at the fast food court. They are pretty good…
that’s so silly of course I totally forgot about Malcha… meanwhile I do still want delivery to RBS
I would stay away from Corusin in Center 1. It’s awful
Go to RYU on Emek Refiam in Jerusalem with Chanie & Greg.Another place is Terikaki in Petach Tikvah. I think they are both Japanese but well worth the visit. You are able to find canned bamboo shoots, baby corn plus more in the regular large markets . I buy frozen snow peas The selections of mushrooms have really expanded here. I use swiss chard in lieu of bok choy.
lol!!! hey! I’ll be in Chashmonaim this shabbos! and I do notice the incredible mushroom selection here especially cause I luhuve! mushrooms!
Do you know anybody who would be willing to open a Chinese restaurant in RBS? You have alot of contacts, and from what I can see, it would do well.
LOL! Hey Chana! I never thought about that angle… nothing is coming to mind but I will give it some more thought
I feel for you Jamie! Maybe Estihana delivers
JK
My favorite Chinese place in Jerusalem was Yoja but it closed it’s doors a few years back. My Bombay Soup was my favorite menu item there.
I’d say this looks great. This IS what to be said for (ok, I only do it at the end when I’ve plated/stored everything else! SHH!) eating straight from the pan.
Does anyone know where to buy eggroll wrappers in Israel?
I love Chinese and it’s a shame that it can be hard to find good Chinese food in Israel – I have tried many places, and found that Sheyan in Rechavia is the best; Yosi Peking is pretty good, RYU and Corosin are okay, will not be going back to Beijing (in Maccabim, just outside Moddin), and my family loves the sweet and sour chicken at Pikansin in the Modiin mall. I heard that Pagoda in Tiberias has the best Chinese food in the country, but have not managed to schlep up there to try it.
I will be in Tiberias!!!but for Pesach… so I guess that rules out Pagoda… But I just drove by Sheyan so now I know where it is!
shalom!!! ani miriam mibrazil…
raiti et hasratim shelech… ve ahavti meod!!!
raiti sheassit aliya veani rotsa ladaat im tamshichi laasot et hasratim???
miri
hi Miriam thank you SO much! yes we are continuing! check out this video http://www.joyofkosher.com/joyofisrael/ next episode is in March!
Sheyan on Rambam (in the windmill) in Jerusalem is AMAZING and has a good hechsher! Thanks for the great site and I am enjoying the Israeli tips and ideas now that you moved! Yishuv Tov!
EGG ROLL SKINS?????????? SURIMI/KANI????????? POBLANO or SOME LARGE PEPPERS(not sweet)for CHILE RELLENOS?????????? GRAHAM CRACKERS?????
Making Cream Cheese for Cheesecakes but My SHAVOUS staples are no where to be found