Culture16:00 · 1h ago

Chef Moti Nakash Elevates Tel Aviv’s Thai Cuisine at Gveret Kootiao in Carmel Market

Globes

Translated & summarized from Globes by baba

Key points

01Gveret Kootiao specializes in authentic Thai kootiao noodles with bold Isan flavors in Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market.
02Chef Moti Nakash opened the eatery in 2019, evolving from a pop-up to a full restaurant with 14 dishes plus specials.
03The menu offers mild and extremely spicy versions, catering to Israelis’ growing taste for authentic Thai cuisine.
04Nakash also runs Pok Pok, a Thai grocery store serving Israel’s expanding Thai community and food lovers.
05Signature dishes include kootiao na ton with a rich broth and som tam salad with a spicy warning label.
06The restaurant operates daily with no reservation needed, with prices ranging from 44 to 89 shekels per dish.

In this story

People

Moti Nakash

OrganizationsGveret Kootiao, Pok Pok

PlacesTel Aviv, Carmel Market, Isan, Thailand, Ramat Gan, Israel

The story · English

Gveret Kootiao, a Thai eatery in Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market, has been a culinary fixture for seven years, specializing in kootiao, a popular Thai noodle dish. Founded by chef Moti Nakash in 2019 as a pop-up, it evolved into a full restaurant offering 14 dishes plus specials and desserts, focusing on the bold, fermented, and spicy flavors of Thailand’s Isan region. Nakash emphasizes authenticity, providing both mild and "on steroids" spicy options, reflecting the growing Israeli palate for genuine Thai cuisine.

Located at 2 Yom Tov Street, the restaurant operates Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 to 23:00 and Friday from 9:00 to 17:00 without requiring reservations. Nakash also runs "Pok Pok," a Thai grocery store nearby catering to the expanding Thai community in Israel and local food enthusiasts. The lifting of restrictions on Thai workers in 2024 has tripled their numbers, spreading beyond Israel’s periphery to central areas.

Nakash’s journey began in Ramat Gan, where he started cooking young and later discovered Thai food during travels, initially skeptical but eventually captivated by kootiao’s complex flavors. After extensive research in Thailand, he launched the pop-up with just two dishes, which grew into the current menu featuring dishes like the signature kootiao na ton with a rich beef broth aged over three years, and the intensely flavored som tam (green papaya salad) served in mild and fiery versions.

Seasonal specials include yam ma muang, a mango salad with dried fried fish, and the dessert dok anchan, a violet-hued coconut milk pudding with caramelized green papaya and toasted peanuts. The modest drink menu features Thai beer Chang and local spirits. Prices range from 44 to 89 shekels per dish, with a typical meal for two costing around 368 shekels.

Gveret Kootiao exemplifies the maturing Israeli interest in authentic Thai flavors, blending tradition with a modern market setting and expanding culinary horizons in Tel Aviv’s vibrant food scene.

Read the original at Globes