“HaSene HaBo’er” looks at first like another roadside skewer joint at a gas station, but the review says it is built differently in almost every detail. The new restaurant opened at the Paz station at Tzomet HaKfar HaYarok, in the spot where Haim Cohen’s bakery Pizzi once operated, and it is run by Hanan Azran, partner of Erez Komarovsky in the catering business Erez veHanan, together with Sharon Yaretz, owner of the Tel Aviv restaurant Petrozilia.
The menu combines classic shish-kebab staples with more inventive dishes. Alongside chicken thigh, chicken livers, hearts, wings, merguez and entrecote, there is lamb-kebab from Meshek Lagzial, a vegetable skewer for vegetarians, and house specialties such as sinta and beef fat grilled together in layers, plus a Bedouin arayes made from beef wrapped in very thin saj bread. Shawarma is also sold, made from turkey, and there are several salad and pita combinations.
One highlight is the humus from Petrozilia, which the article says has built a following over 30 years. It is described as thick, slightly sour, and reminiscent of old Jerusalem hummus, served with hot sauce, olive oil and parsley. A warm masabaha with preserved lemon is also offered. Another standout is the “open table” platter, priced at 77 shekels, which includes seven salads, among them egg salad with fried onions, Moroccan carrot salad, diced beet with ginger and pomegranate syrup, three hot sauces, and spiced pumpkin with cardamom and cinnamon.
The fries are singled out as well, costing 22 shekels, cut by hand, fried twice, and seasoned with sumac and parsley. Diners can sit in a shaded outdoor yard or at a small counter-facing table, and ordering is available at the counter or by self-service. The review says evening service with beer, wine and projected football matches is planned soon. The main drawback is parking, which is difficult during busy lunchtime hours. During the trial period, hours are Sunday to Thursday 11:00 to 17:00 and Friday 10:00 to 14:00.
