Old Jaffa's Charm Endures at Beloved Seafood Restaurant
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
The historic restaurant Sabbathai Ha'Yafeh in Old Jaffa, established in 1962, remains a popular and vibrant spot despite the decline in tourism. The restaurant was found to be full of patrons enjoying traditional Greek music, ouzo, and a variety of seafood and salads. The writer praised the fresh red mullet and the overall nostalgic atmosphere, noting the surprisingly affordable prices for the experience.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- The historic restaurant Sabbathai Ha'Yafeh in Old Jaffa remains popular and full of patrons.
- The restaurant serves traditional Greek music, ouzo, and a variety of seafood and salads.
- The writer praised the fresh, crispy, and tasty fried red mullet as a main course.
- Old Jaffa's charm persists despite a significant drop in tourism.
- The restaurant's prices were noted as surprisingly affordable for the experience.
Old Jaffa, once an exotic destination even for Tel Aviv residents, retains a unique charm despite the near-total absence of tourists. While many establishments like the wine bar Yu'ezer and Margaret Tayer, and Dr. Shakshuka have faded into history, and others like Mama Kuka and Haim Yifrach are long gone, the area around Clock Square is trying to revive with new businesses. However, the restaurant "Sabbathai Ha'Yafeh," established in 1962, remains a vibrant testament to the city's past. Contrary to fears that the restaurant might be struggling, a recent mid-week evening found it packed with patrons enjoying Greek music, ouzo, and fried fish.
The dining experience at Sabbathai Ha'Yafeh features a generous selection of traditional salads, including bean salad, ikra, roasted peppers, potato salad, tahini, carrot salad, beet salad, vegetable salad, skordalia, eggplant salad, and tzatziki, all served with hot pita bread and free refills. Following the salads, a mixed seafood platter of calamari and shrimp was served, and the main course consisted of perfectly fried red mullet, described as fresh, crispy, juicy, and incredibly tasty, reminiscent of a recipe from the grandmother of the writer.
The restaurant, located at 38 Ha'Tsorfim Street in Old Jaffa, offers a nostalgic atmosphere with its stone alleyways and the lingering spirit of "Yaffo Pictures," Menachem Telmi's stories of the city's colorful characters. The writer noted the surprisingly affordable bill, especially considering the amount of food and drink consumed, including ouzo. The experience was likened to finding another historical exhibit, much like the musician Rami Fortis, proving that age is sometimes irrelevant.