Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Friday 10 august 2018
Old stone buildings and trendy cafes: The port city of Jaffa

By TALI ARBEL gurt; the parsley-and-bul-
JAFFA, Israel (AP) — Just gur salad, tabbouleh; and
south of Tel Aviv's glass tow- the Arabic dessert knafe.
ers and concrete houses Her version had thin shreds
are the white stone build- of pastry and nuts cooked
ings of Jaffa, the ancient in butter, sugar and lemon.
port town. Seri also introduced us to
Jaffa has existed for thou- what she called the "Arabic
sands of years, but today Parmesan": yogurt that had
it is one unified city with Tel been dried in the sun to a
Aviv, which was founded in rock-hard lump. She grated
1909. Both Jews and Arabs the block into a powder
live in Jaffa, and that's re- whose sharp, savory tang
flected in the flavors of the did indeed recall Parme-
neighborhood. san cheese and added it
Visitors will find a luxury ho- to a salad of fried eggplant
tel, the Setai, built out of a and thin-chopped celery.
Crusader fortress that was Prices for her lessons vary
later a prison and police per person according to
station. Trendy cafes, gal- In this Saturday, July 28, 2018 photo, a child plays next to a 100-year-old orange tree hanging group size.
leries, bars and boutiques above the ground in the old city of Jaffa, Israel. One of Jaffa's most popu-
line narrow streets, inter- Associated Press lar spots for tourists is the
secting with Jaffa's well- old port. Vessels have set
known Arab hummus spots deconstructed sabich, a bars. terranean. Inside Tash and sail here since ancient
and bakeries, along with breakfast sandwich of fried But don't forget hummus. In Tasha's romantic, stone- times; it's even mentioned
mosques, churches and eggplant and hard-boiled Jaffa, you can't eat enough walled interior are deli- in the Biblical story of Jo-
synagogues. egg of Iraqi origin that's a hummus, the chickpea pu- cious dips, dumplings and nah, referred to as "Joppa,"
In and around Jaffa's fa- popular Israeli street food. ree that's a bedrock meal breads from Georgia (the where Jonah embarked
mous flea market, Shuk (Try a regular sabich too, at in Israel. country, not the U.S. state). on the journey that led to
Hapishpeshim, are streets Sabich Hasharon, a small There's Ali Caravan's fa- Milk, a coffee shop with lim- his fateful encounter with
dotted with cafes. On one storefront in Tel Aviv that mous spot on HaDolphin ited seating, has expensive a big fish — or, in some ver-
of my visits, I sat in an alley specializes in them.) Street, worth waiting on coffee and pretty pastries. sions of the story, a whale.
and munched on Shaffa The market itself, surround- line for. Another crowded Those interested in learn- The port is still used by local
Bar's shakshuka, poached ed by Yefet, Beit Eshel and hummus disher is Ha'Asli on ing how to cook Arab food fishermen but it also offers
eggs baked in tomato Yehuda Margoza streets, is Yefet Street, cacophonous can also take a class with seafood restaurants, shops
sauce, while chickens a paradise for those itching with families, workers and a local. Myasser Seri has and entertainment.
clucked on the roof of a to debate trash versus trea- tourists, all seeking the plat- for years been hosting tu- There's plenty to eat and
building down the street. sure. Across several alleys, ters of hummus, labne, ke- torials in her small kitchen. to buy in Jaffa. But one of
Cafe Puaa has comfy, chic vendors spread wares on bab and salads delivered She can put together a the best things to do there
but mismatched furniture, the ground and stack them to tables minutes after or- multi-course meal for your is simply wander and take
and will sell you the plates in stalls. There are antiques, dering. You can watch the group to cook, or you can in the contrasts. Doors set
you eat off (nearly every- furniture, clothing, trinkets, bakers at work at Abula- suggest dishes you'd like to in old stone walls are cat-
thing is for sale). Its menu is coins. On Friday mornings fia, a popular bakery that try. Among the dishes we nip for Instagrammers; turn
packed with the vegetable and summer Tuesdays, a stacks breads and other made were maqluba, a the corner, and there's a
dishes that Israeli cuisine is pop-up market of crafts treasures in blue tile-lined mound of rice or bulgur and block of modern apart-
known for. After settling into and jewelry gets added to glass cases by the sidewalk. vegetables inverted onto a ment buildings. Galleries
a couch in the alley in front the mix. In the afternoon, a Jaffa's food offerings also plate; meatballs cooked in abound, but the streets
of the restaurant, I had a party erupts in the outdoor stretch beyond the Medi- a sauce of tahini and yo- create their own art.q

In this Saturday, July 28, 2018 photo, people dance in Akbar, a bar located in the
flea market in Jaffa, Israel. Israel's port city of Jaffa is an ancient place. In this Saturday, July 21, 2018 photo, people enjoy the day in the port of Jaffa,
Associated Press Israel. Israel's port city of Jaffa is an ancient place.
Associated Press