Kamakura: A kosher Japanese meat tasting menu

Kamakura is a hidden gem in terms of kosher restaurants in Tel Aviv. Okay, technically it's in Ramat Gan, but it's literally a 3-minute walk from Tel Aviv.

When we tell people about Kamakura, most haven't heard about it. It doesn't have the same presence as other, more popular restaurants in Tel Aviv. But it should, because the food and experience were some of the best we've had.

Kamakura is a kosher Japanese restaurant. You might assume that a Japanese restaurant means it serves sushi but you actually won't find any sushi on the menu. They focus on fish and meat dishes.

The restaurant is located in the lobby of a small boutique hotel call Indigo. When we arrived on a Sunday night, it wasn't very busy. probably because it serves mostly as a business lunch place for the area.

Once seated we were immediately offered shots of sake, as that's how Japanese meals traditionally start (or so we were told).

It didn't take us long to figure out what to order because we came for one reason: the tasting menu.

Yup, Kamakura offers an incredible 9-course tasting menu for just 250 shekel per person. Normally, with tasting menus, you worry about tiny portions. Not the case at Kamakura. Since we went as a couple, each course was a full-size appetizer, main, or dessert split between the two of us. And it was plenty.

Aside from the food, the service was impeccable. It was a pretty quiet night, but one thing that stood out to me was the proactive nature of the staff. At one point, I went to pour myself some water but the pitcher was empty. Our waitress noticed this from across the room and had a full pitcher at our table in less than 20 seconds, without me asking. (I know it's hard to believe this exists in Israel)

What we ate

Kamakura at a glance