Salimi
For years, the foods of Israel’s immigrants from Iran, Yemen, Iraq and other countries in the Middle East were relegated to “workers’ restaurants,” frequented by men who toiled in the area and sought a cheap and filling meal. Today, these historic eating establishments, when they still exist, are enjoyed by workers and hipsters alike. The family-owned Iranian soul food spot, Salimi, in the center of the colorful Levinsky Market, is among the last standing. Here, austere lighting and plain white walls only reinforce the focus on hearty, high-quality food cooked in a traditional Iranian oven at the end of the dining area. The clientele is a steady, loyal stream of local families mixed with newer and younger residents, all of whom patiently (a rarity in Israel) wait for a table for the generous portions of kosher chicken kebabs with fluffy saffron rice, or the legendary Gondi, an herb-enriched Persian soup filled with chickpea and chicken meatballs. The waitresses come off as overly caring Jewish mothers, often lovingly suggesting ways to help you fatten up if you’re so inclined (‘You’re skin and bones!’ is a refrain often heard).
For years, the foods of Israel’s immigrants from Iran, Yemen, Iraq and other countries in the Middle East were relegated to “workers’ restaurants,” frequented by men who toiled in the area and sought a cheap and filling meal. Today, these historic eating establishments, when they still exist, are enjoyed by workers and hipsters alike. The family-owned Iranian soul food spot, Salimi, in the center of the colorful Levinsky Market, is among the last standing. Here, austere lighting and plain white walls only reinforce the focus on hearty, high-quality food cooked in a traditional Iranian oven at the end of the dining area. The clientele is a steady, loyal stream of local families mixed with newer and younger residents, all of whom patiently (a rarity in Israel) wait for a table for the generous portions of kosher chicken kebabs with fluffy saffron rice, or the legendary Gondi, an herb-enriched Persian soup filled with chickpea and chicken meatballs. The waitresses come off as overly caring Jewish mothers, often lovingly suggesting ways to help you fatten up if you’re so inclined (‘You’re skin and bones!’ is a refrain often heard).
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