Dining Out / Small plates for big appetites

A recent visit to the restaurant Aluma Bakfar reinforced my adoration of the Upper Galilee and Moshav Ramot Naftali. En route to the restaurant you can see the exquisite panoramic view that encompasses the Hula Valley to Mount Hermon on the Golan, stretching even to the mountains of Lebanon.

Making your way from the road to the restaurant through attractive gardens, you cannot help but notice the wood construction. Large red pine logs were imported especially from Canada for the construction of both the restaurant and the adjoining guest rooms.

Once inside, the bare but polished wood complements furnishings from Tuscany and Provence, and attractive metal light fixtures and large windows add to the charm. The modus operandi here is that of a tapas bar and I decided to make a broad sampling.

The first thing that made its way to our table was homemade bread so fresh that it released steam when being cut. Served with small plates of truly delicious spiced olives and a coulis of red peppers, the bread and its complements were good enough that we asked for second helpings. From there it was on to a generous variety of tapas, those coming in no fixed order for our pleasure.

A fine first offering was of pitted dates filled with blue cheese and wrapped in bacon before being grilled. The succulent tidbits were best eaten by hand. Next on the table were slices of eggplant topped with bits of feta cheese and spooned over with a Romesco sauce. The sauce, famous in Catalonia, is made by crushing almonds, garlic, onion, olive oil and red peppers together and then blending them with olive oil. It was a splendid complement to the dish.

Next to appear were three meat-based dishes, the first a rewarding platter of albondigas, firm and flavorful Spanish style meatballs made from ground lamb and spooned over with a tomato sauce that had been enriched with saffron and almonds.

The second dish was a plate of tissue-thin slices of beef, lightly pickled, set on slices of grilled pears and treated to a sprinkling of good Manchego cheese. Served with a mini-salad of roquette, this dish was also a treat.

The best of the trio was yet to come: pastry cigars filled with finely chopped liver and other veal parts. That most of us think of these as Moroccan cigars is somewhat of an error. The concept of wrapping filo dough around meat and other fillings actually originated in the Extremadura region of Spain nearly 400 years before the recipe reached North Africa. Whatever their origin, these were bursting with flavor and absolutely delicious.

After a short break on the terrace to enjoy the view and to catch our breaths, we returned to our table, this time to a series of offerings.

In one dish a large sweet, long red pepper had been filled with coarsely chopped grey mullet that had been blended together with potato puree and then sprinkled over with olive oil. In another, slices of goat cheese had been dipped first into beaten eggs, then into seasoned breadcrumbs to coat them before being deep fried.

As the first dish was just soft enough, this one was perfectly crisp and made even more appealing by being served with a sweet onion confit.

Again, the best was yet to come: empanadas that had been filled with lamb and raisins, making a perfect finger food that melted in the mouth as the flavors burst forth.

Nor was this the end, as we diligently continued and made our way happily through two more tapas, the first of veal liver, sliced thinly as it should be and done a la plancha for just a few seconds in order to keep the meat soft, pink and full of flavor. Spooned over with sauce of smoked tomatoes and capers the dish was yet another treat.

Nor was I the least bit disappointed in an offering of tortellini pasta that had been filled with Manchego cheese, which was just firm enough and the melted cheese as rich in flavor as one could hope for.

My first dessert was a ball of rich mascarpone cheese that had been set on a bed of kadaif pastry and topped with a ganache, that delicious and smooth chocolate coating that most mortals find difficult to resist. The second was a chocolate mousse enriched nicely by a hint of brandy. The desserts and our closing espresso coffees were much appreciated.

Throughout our meal the service was warm and responsive and, considering the vast quantity of food we had consumed, the price was right. Our bill for three came to NIS 340. Even more reasonably priced special combination dinners for parties of two or four are also offered.

We had brought our own wines with us but the wine list is a good one with reasonable prices and includes not only the wines of the four wineries located on the moshav but from the Galilee and other parts of Israel.

Definitely worth visiting when in the Upper Galilee and worth a special trip from anywhere in the country if you care to spend a night at one of the zimmers attached to the restaurant.

Aluma Bakfar, Moshav Ramot Naftali: Tel (04) 6943111. Mon-Sat 6:00 P.M.- 10:00 P.M.