Popular Israeli Grill Restaurant Etzel Oved Opens First Tel Aviv Branch

Etzel Oved, a well-known and beloved Israeli grill restaurant originally located in the village of Or Yehuda, has opened its first branch in Tel Aviv. The new location, named Etzel Oved Ba'Ir, is situated near the tennis courts at the intersection of Rokach and Shitrit streets, close to Luna Park in northern Tel Aviv. The large restaurant offers around 500 seats and features a massive grill, replacing traditional tablecloths with parchment paper for a casual dining experience.

The menu at Etzel Oved Ba'Ir includes the signature thick taboon pita and a generous selection of 12 salads served at the table, such as beetroot, purple cabbage, grilled eggplant, tabbouleh, carrot salad, Turkish salad, and egg salad. Prices for the salads start at 36 shekels per person over six years old. Other offerings include hummus (32 shekels), fries (31 shekels), vegetable salad (32 shekels), and falafel with tahini (25 shekels). New dishes introduced at the Tel Aviv branch include grilled mushrooms with potatoes or sweet potatoes (22 shekels) and a cabbage skewer (25 shekels), which has become a local favorite.

While the Tel Aviv branch does not yet serve shawarma, it offers a wide variety of skewers and steaks, including classics like chicken thigh, kebab, chicken hearts, and liver (38-42 shekels), as well as specialty skewers such as chicken breast kebab (43 shekels), goose breast (65 shekels), entrecote (65 shekels), turkey eggs, and sweetbreads (96 shekels). Fish options include salmon skewers (52 shekels) and fish kebab with harissa sauce (75 shekels). Additional menu items include schnitzel with fries (45 shekels), foie gras (150 shekels), hamburgers (65-95 shekels), entrecote steak (185 shekels), lamb chops (185 shekels), filet medallions (185 shekels), and a nostalgic "duet of foie gras filet" (205 shekels).

Desserts are all pareve and include malabi, Bavarian cream, chocolate cake, crème brûlée, baklava, and American-style ice cream (27-45 shekels). Drinks range from lemonade (10 shekels) and wine (35 shekels) to bottled beer (24 shekels) and soft drinks (14 shekels). The Tel Aviv branch took nearly a year to establish and offers a different atmosphere from the original rustic and modest Or Yehuda location, which has been a popular destination for over 20 years and a favorite among Israeli celebrities such as Noa Kirel, Omer Adam, Bar Refaeli, and Oudiya.

Etzel Oved continues to expand, with another smaller branch planned to open soon in Kiryat Ono's Duvdevan complex. The new Tel Aviv restaurant operates Sunday through Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. and is located at 63 Rokach Boulevard, Hadar Yosef neighborhood.