Tel Aviv's Gaejin Izakaya Reinvents Brunch with Refined Japanese Fusion Menu

Gaejin Izakaya, a popular Tel Aviv restaurant, has introduced a weekend brunch menu that reinterprets traditional Western brunch dishes through a meticulous Japanese lens. Founded by restaurateur Alexander Sachanovsky, a Moscow immigrant with international experience, the kitchen is led by chef Gilad Dabush, who brings nearly 20 years of expertise in Japanese cuisine, including work at Michelin-starred restaurants in Japan. This collaboration results in a modern fusion that balances elegance with indulgence.

The brunch features standout items such as the "Triple Egg Sando," a sandwich made with buttered shokupan bread and three different preparations of eggs, noted for being visually striking and notably messy. However, the most flavorful dishes include the agedashi tofu served with king oyster mushroom skewers and a deep mentatsuyo shittake broth, and the udon carbonara, which creatively blends Italian classic flavors with Japanese noodles. Other offerings include benedict on airy Japanese pancakes, crispy katsu chicken with curry aioli, and grilled veal sweetbreads with onigiri and a soft yolk.

The beverage menu departs from typical brunch cocktails, featuring non-alcoholic options like the "Matcha Cloud," combining coconut water, cream, milk, and matcha, and the adventurous "Mont Blanc," which mixes espresso, orange juice, vanilla, cream, and milk. Desserts maintain the high standard with Japanese pancakes topped with strawberries, anko paste, and kuromitsu syrup, alongside shokupan French toast filled with pastry cream and black pepper toffee.

Located at 29 Lilienblum Street, Tel Aviv, Gaejin Izakaya’s brunch showcases how indulgent dishes can be served with Japanese precision and sophistication, offering a unique culinary experience that has quickly become a talking point in the city’s dining scene.