In global tourism there is a subfield of “foodies”, culinary tours where you tour authentic and special markets and restaurants. This tourist trend reached Israel, first to the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem, and from there to the markets in Tel Aviv, especially the Carmel market.
We used to conduct shopping in the Carmel market mainly for fruits and vegetables, as well as textile products and toys. At night the market was deserted and closed. Alongside the old-generation butchers and among the vegetable stalls and folkloristic spice and coffee shops, food stalls have also sprung up that offer gourmet sandwiches and a lively food scene. Guided tours of the Carmel market have been offered to the public for some time, where travelers visit unique restaurants on the edge of the market, as well as food stalls in the middle of the bustling market.
One of the new attractions on the tour route is ‘Prena in the Market’, which deserves our attention. We recommend visiting it also on independent market tours. This besta is located right in the middle of the market, in the transition from the clothing area to the vegetable area. 2 Rambam Street, to be precise.
Many times I passed by there, and most of the time I didn’t notice this busta, or I saw a crowd of many people in front of it, and I didn’t want to stand in a long line. During Hanukkah, they offered a special dish at Parna Market that attracted me. It was an unstuffed sponge in asado. A delicacy, to lick your fingers.
The owner of the place, Dor Zaguri, was a chef at the Kfar Maccabia Hotel and the Harrods Hotel in Eilat, until about two years ago he opened his unique stall in the Carmel market. At his stand he offers us a special parana with different fillings.
The hit on the menu is a dish of parna asado, broken down and cooked for a long time. On the menu we also find shredded chicken parana in a sila and soy marinade. In addition, fried fish meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce. For vegetarians, he offers cauliflower parna in tempura, and potato wedges seasoned with parsley and coarse salt.
Gal Zagori
I got to taste all types of dishes, and the refined and sophisticated taste reminds me of a French luxury restaurant, more than a vulgar stall in the Carmel market. The asado was soft and tasty, reminiscent of Thai style. Highly recommended.
Chef Zagori’s secrets are found in the unique seasoning that includes coconut milk, ginger, lemon grass, basil, coriander, fresh red chili, vegan curry sauce, plum sauce, and more. He does not reveal all the ingredients of the sauces, and he keeps the combination of quantities as his professional secret.
In Chef Zagori’s dishes, there is an important emphasis on vegetables, especially cilantro in various forms. He says it is part of his childhood memories. “When we were children in Moshav Hazum, we would run after the tractor cart returning from the field, and the workers would throw us white flowers of coriander. This smell accompanied my childhood.”
Another important ingredient in the special flavor is the parna baked according to his mother’s recipe. David grew up on these travesties as a child. At first he baked the farnats at his stall in the market, but due to the large quantities required now, he orders the farnats from a bakery that bakes them especially for him according to his recipe.
Chef David Zagori is 31 years old, married plus one. Despite his young age, he has gained a lot of experience in cooking. In the army he served on the ship Deborah. The crews of small ships in the navy do not have cooks, and the soldiers cook for themselves in the ship’s galley. “I liked to cook, and my friends liked the food I cooked,” says David. “I did a lot of culinary experiments and training for myself on the ship, and I perfected myself in professional cooking.” Ten years ago he was released, and went to work in hotels in Eilat as an experienced and expert cook. In 2016, he returned to Tel Aviv, and in 2021, he opened the ‘Perna Market’ stand.
‘Perna Shouk’ also has a kosher certificate from the Tel Aviv Rabbinate. There is no possibility of eating at tables, and the customers are sent to eat on an urban bench that stands on the nearby sidewalk. Most customers buy and take to eat elsewhere, and the stand also offers Take Away through the ‘Volt’ service.
Recommendation: look for ‘Perna in the market’ and you won’t regret it. under responsibility
