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Dining Out / Tucking into traditional favorites By Daniel Rogov Tags: israel news There are those restaurants that are so tucked away that even the most diligent critic has never heard about them. Such was the case with Cramim, which I didn't know existed until a few weeks ago, although it has been open for six years. This is rather a shame, for while the restaurant is located about six kilometers from the Castina Junction, between Tel Aviv and Be'er Sheva (or not far from the ends of the earth), it is well worth the visit. Set at the entrance to Moshav Sgula and adjoining a plant nursery owned by the restaurant proprietors, one of Cramin's greatest charms is the view of the marvelous plants, shrubs and trees that are grown and sold here. Considering the lovely view, large wooden tables and comfortable quietude, the atmosphere here is one of genuine countrified elegance. We were four for lunch, which allowed me the opportunity to taste a wide range of dishes. For my appetizer, I opted for the chicken liver pate. The pate was firm and rich, with just enough fat blended together with the juniper berries and dash of brandy. Served with well-made onion jam and pieces of toast, glazed lightly with balsamic vinegar and topped with several roasted garlic cloves, the dish was a treat. Having a somewhat French soul, I could not resist asking for a bit of butter to spread on my toast before the pate, and my request was quickly met. Equally rewarding was the peppered ground lamb pastry, a dish of filo dough, stuffed with meat, served in the shape of a curved sausage. The pastry itself was delicious and the accompanying coarse tehina and silan sauce complemented the flavors well. Advertisement From here, it was on to thin slices of flank steak, which were skewered and grilled. The meat, seasoned nicely with nothing more than salt and pepper, was just tender enough and served on a bed of tasty, thickly-sliced grilled eggplant. The only first course not to fully satisfy was the onion soup: Served in a hollowed-out piece of thick, homemade bread, the soup lacked any richness of flavor and would have been better topped with a layer of Parmesan cheese. While not very inventive, the main courses, like those that had come before, were well executed and quite tempting. One dish, referred to on the menu for reasons I could not fully understand as "Colombian meat," consisted of a thick fillet of steak, a cut of entrecote and a slice of goose liver, all brushed with a rich red wine and berry sauce. As the meat was cooked medium-rare and the sauce avoided the sin of being too sweet, the dish came together very nicely indeed. I opted for the lamb chops, which were coated nicely with a spicy panko before being fried; the meat proved soft and succulent with just enough fat left intact on the rim. One of my companions ordered the salmon fillet, which was coated with a crust of herbs and served with artichokes that had been fried with butter and sage. Another of our party opted for the 300-gram hamburger, which touted high-quality, freshly chopped beef. Served on an especially good bun, together with the usual lettuce, tomato and onion, the burger was juicy and full of flavor. For dessert, we moved to a table on the terrace. The first dessert I tried was the three-layered chocolate mousse, a creation of milk chocolate, white chocolate and bittersweet chocolate mousses, which could not help but please. From there it was on to the kadaif pastry, which was filled with a rich chocolate cream and topped with a simple, but good berry sauce. But the best was yet to come: a thick, dense, cheese-and-chocolate cake topped with a chocolate ganache, which, together with the fine Mauro espressos and half-bottle of the Heightswine of the Golan Heights Winery, was a lovely way to close our meal. Chef Sahar Rafael is happily not setting out to impress diners by showing off any kind of artificial creativity, but he is indeed doing a fine job using a broad selection of traditional dishes. The service is warm and responsive, the atmosphere relaxing and the dishes served up well executed. Our food bill for four came to NIS 600. The wine list offers some very good wines at reasonable prices. With our meal, we enjoyed the Trio of Pelter and with the desserts a half bottle of the Heightswine of the Golan Heights Winery, the first of which added NIS 124 and the second NIS 55 to our bill. Business lunches are also available. Definitely worth visiting for those who live nearby or are visiting the area. Cramim, Moshav Sgula. Open daily 9 A.M.-midnight. Tel: (08) 850-5859. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Knesset express Rightist party offers Jonathan Pollard top spot on Knesset list. Mahmoud's Gospel Ahmadinejad: If Jesus were alive, he would stand in opposition to U.S.

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