Little Tel Aviv

Every so often, I crave a taste of home. So what's a girl from Israel living in the Land of 10,000 Uses for Cream of Mushroom Soup to do when the taste for down home cooking strikes? I head across the river to a strip mall (gasp!) by Lake Calhoun. There, in Little Tel Aviv, I find exactly what I am craving: garlicky hummus, crispy falafel balls tucked into warm pita bread, tea naana (tea with fresh mint) and chatty, friendly service with just enough Israeli chutzpah to remind me of the cafés back home.

One of the best things about this sunny spot by the lake is owner Teddy Nachmias, an Israeli native and a perfect mix of Minnesota nice and Israeli spice. Teddy's little Minneapolis shop serves a bountiful selection of sandwiches, salads, authentic Israeli dishes, and decadent desserts with a dash of enthusiastic conversation and sass.

Surprisingly, one of my favorite culinary memories from my childhood are my dad's French fries, sizzled  in an ancient frier we brought with us all the way to Minnesota many years ago. So far, I've only found two places that serve fries of equal grandeur. One of these places is Little Tel Aviv (the other is Mim's, in St. Paul). Little Tel Aviv makes the crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, amber colored French fries by hand from real live potatoes every day and fries them to order. It's a labor of love and we love them for it.

Another must-try are the velvety Burekas, made with delicate layers of phyllo dough and filled with potatoes, ricotta, or spinach and feta. Sprinkled with sesame seeds and baked to golden perfection, the pillowy pastries melt in your mouth and make a lovely companion to the zesty hummus platter. Finally, be sure and top off your meal with Botz (mud), an ultra thick coffee that stands the pencil test. Yes, it will keep you awake for days, but it's worth it, trust me.

These are the foods of my youth. There are many variations around town, but for the dishes that send me back to my seaside home town and my best friend's Mom's kitchen, only Little Tel Aviv will do.

Hummus, burekas, and a dark beer. Lunch is served!

Hummus sandwich. 

Alon Sandwich, named after one of the owner's SEVEN children. And he seemed so sane. 

Check out the height on this baby. Falafel balls galore. 

Napoleon: Puff pastry, cream filling, a dark chocolate ganache topping. Need I say more? 

So good, it deserved two photos. 

F.A.Q

But I don't know Israeli food.
It's basically what you might know as Middle Eastern food with a lot of comfy Eastern European thrown in. A little of this, a little of that. So go, don't be a putz.

Kid friendly?
The guy's got seven kids. There is nothing your toddler can throw at him (literally or figuratlively) that he cannot handle. Bring Bubbe too.

Web site?
littletel-aviv.com