Backyard 51, a new kosher food-and-wine bar in the courtyard behind Fifty and One on Tel Aviv’s busy Nahalat Binyamin Street, has opened as an offshoot of the pasta restaurant but with a different menu and identity. It is run by chef Ofek Gilad, the chef of the parent restaurant, and aims to offer a contemporary kosher experience without feeling restricted by kashrut.
The reviewer says the venue is hard to notice from the street, but its large, green and simple courtyard is pleasant and not overdesigned. Service began with cold water without a mineral-or-sparkling question, the room was busy but calm early on, and the music later rose in volume without becoming unbearable. The menu is small, fish- and meat-based, and avoids dairy, with six starters, four noodle dishes and four grill dishes; prices were described as midrange, and portions as relatively large.
The strongest dishes came first: hamachi sashimi for 83 shekels, arancini ragu for 69, and cucumber and fakus salad for 67. The hamachi was praised for excellent fish and a sharp tomato accent, while the arancini were said to be deeply flavored and not greasy. The cucumber salad was simpler and a bit too intense in its tahini-soy dressing, but still showed generosity and personality.
The next courses exposed the limits of cooking without dairy. The pappardelle shiitake, 78 shekels, had good mushrooms but an overly forceful broth. The entrecote skewer, 128 shekels, was a good portion of about 160 grams, but was overcooked, and the peppery mashed potatoes beside it were judged poor. In the drinks section, the Jasmine cocktail for 62 shekels was called weak and short on its expected citrus-herbal sharpness, and the wine list was described as limited though promising. Dessert, a yuzu sorbet with vanilla crumble and Italian meringue for 51 shekels, was the weakest part of the meal. The verdict was cautiously positive, with clear potential but a need for tighter execution, better focus, and improved handling of dairy-free dishes.
