Israel has laws that ensure that restaurants and other food serving establishments follow the rules for Kosher food. This generally means that most of my favorite foods are unavailable here. My favorite source of protein, pork, is simply not served at any restaurant I’ve been to. Pork also cannot be found in the local food market. You also won’t find any melty cheesy sandwiches except for the grilled cheese or the grilled cheese with assorted vegetables. Shellfish are also eliminated from the menu nearly everywhere.
What you will find are foods like: hummus, cheese spreads, a type of Greek yogurt, any form of carbs you can think of, lots of creative ways to eat sesame seeds, and plenty of eggs. While the ingredients get quite repetitive it is not a terrible diet. First and foremost, the way vegetables are served is creative and tastes much better than eating the same veggies in a salad. Eating healthy has never been as easy for me as it has been in Israel. The only struggle is getting sufficient protein without getting tons of carbs and sugars. I would say that the cuisine of Israel is tasty although it is not for me. The laws of kosher eliminate many of the foods I have been fond of for many years and the lack of pork makes the prolonged stay in Israel saddening. However, for short visits of 2 weeks or less I believe that the cuisine is more than adequate. For anyone without the deep-seated love for pork or meat and cheese in the same meal as me, I’m sure you will find Israeli cuisine delicious. For my pickiness I still find the cuisine to be good, I just don’t think it is better than other cuisines around the world. This being said the fish restaurants are amazing especially Uri Buri and Shakshuka is one of the best ways to eat eggs I have ever had the pleasure of eating. While the cuisine as a whole may not be for me, i believe there is at least one or two dishes you will find you love in Israel.
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