Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem launches Private Label Olive Oil and Concept Dinner

The Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem launched a private label branded olive oil with an elegant concept dinner at the Palace Restaurant that will be offered until the end of December 2019. The premium oil was made at Meshek Achiya in collaboration with Chef Itzik Barak and will feature in a 3-course meal that emphasizes the Israeli and Mediterranean flavors.

Waldorf Astoria branded Olive Oil from Meshek Achiya

Olive oil is one of the autquntic characteristics of the land of Israel. For the past 20 years, Meshek Achiya has been growing olives and vines at 850 meters above sea level, producing premium high-quality extra-virgin olive oil with low acidity. Meshek Achiya’s olive oil has a quality mark and has won awards. The Waldorf Astoria private label branded oil private label was created in collaboration with the hotel's head Chef Itzik Barak Mizrahi from Syrian olives. The oil has anaroma of ripe tomatoes and black pepper with gentle bitterness. The oil will be featured as part of the hotel's quality raw materials and can be purchased at the hotel’s restaurant.

Olive Oil Concept Dinner at the Palace Restaurant

As part of the launch of the private label oil, the Palace Restaurant will serve until the end of December 2019, a concept meal with the olive oil that Chef Itzik Mizrahi Barak prepared. The meal combines cooking techniques in olive oil such as confit and marinating in olive oil and includes starters, fish, main course and dessert, all made with different types of oils from Meshek Achiya.  At the launch dinners, the dishes were accompanied with fine wines from Tabor Winery. I highly recommend them, but they are not included in the meal price.

The Special Menu

The menu includes the starters, a fish, chicken or lamb, and dessert. My husband and I shared the food, thus trying all the plates in the menu.

Chef Itzik Barak - Image courtesy of Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem

Starters

The starters included Celery root cappuccino with pine nuts and basil oil, house bread, eggplant aioli, olive oil and tomato salsa. The cappuccino is basically an espresso cup of celery soup where shimeji mushrooms and pine nuts, which was delicious. We had to be careful not to eat too much of the bread and dips, so as to leave enough room for the rest of the meal.

First Course

The first course has a choice between sea bass and salmon.

The first option is quinoa crusted Sea bass confit in Koroneiki olive oil, caramelized carrots and pecan cream. This dish is beautifully presented like sea with ripple and is very tasty!

The second option is Salmon confit in Koroneiki olive oil in a cloud of smoke, served with cucumber ahd avocado cannelloni. I think this is one of the big wows of the dinner and is a must have. Firstly it is a sensual experience since the salmon is served inside a glass of smoke, which the waiter removes in front of the diners, letting the smoke diffuse. Secondly, there is a piece of salmon and excellent avocado ceviche hiding in the cucumber wrap, making it two in one! Don’t miss it!

Main courses

For the main course, there is a choice between lamb and chicken breast.

The chicken breast was stuffed with pistachios, served alongside Rata potato baked in Arbequina olive oil and cauliflower in reduced chicken broth. The chicken breast has crunchiness coming from the pistachios, and the rich taste is mostly from the sauce.

The other option is slow- braised lamb Osso Buco in Arbequina olive oil, served alongside Jerusalem artichoke, bulgur and root vegetables in lamb jus. It is a large and very impressive dish with delicate lamb flavor melting in the mouth.

Dessert

Olive oil ice cream with almond crust and caramelized pears

This dessert was a pleasant surprise. As one particularly conservative in desserts, I am usually not enthusiastic about amorphous desserts. To my great surprise, the ice cream was just amazing, challenging the taste buds and I enjoyed it even more than the well-made almond crust and pears!

In summary, a very good and unusual meal!

Information

The Palace Restaurant, Kosher Mehadrin, Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Jerusalem. 02-542-3333.

Price: NIS 300 including VAT for Israelis, USD 70 for tourists.

Served until the end of December 2019, Sunday to Thursday 18:30 to 22:30. The Palace Restaurant will simultaneously serve it with the regular restaurant menu. Reservations recommended.

The above information is given by the hotel and is subject to changes.

The writer was a guest of Waldorf Astoria.