Romano: Tel Aviv

If you pass by 9 Jaffa Road in Tel Aviv going towards the sea, you may never know what lies deep inside its doors. It's unassuming exterior would suggest to the passerby that its just another building in the neighborhood housing multiple clothing businesses that line the Jaffa Road. At night however, when the stores close for the day, it turns into one of the better places for drinks and fantastic food in the city. Romano is part of the larger Beit Romano complex which also houses Teder, a large open air bar for pizza and concerts featuring local Israeli artists. Walking upstairs to Romano and you will soak up the cool atmosphere as you are surrounded by beautiful people, great music, and the fantastic smelling food coming out of the kitchen. From the creative mind of Israeli celebrity chef Eyal Shani, Romano serves creative small dishes using local ingredients and culinary influences. The menu has dishes for every palate including those of us who are vegetarian or vegan. Some of the highlights would have to be the whole roasted cauliflower, which you can find at many of Eyal Shani's restaurants including his infamous pita concept Miznon. Also the lamb ragu over tehina was spectacular which came with challah bread to swipe up all of the ragu and tehina. Besides the fantastic food, Romano features great music almost every night as the restaurant has an extensive collection of vinyl records and also hosts local DJs to play their own sets. On the whole, Romano is a must try for any gourmand, or for those looking for a great place for date night.