The Ultimate Israeli Food

How do you show pride on Yom Ha’atzmaut? I’m really not one for going to rallies or wearing Israeli flags. And god knows that I won’t be caught at a Yom Ha’atzmaut party. I hate parties.

So, like how I enjoy most other holidays, I eat to show my pride. Today, I went to the always amazing Olympic Pita to eat their schwarma on homemade laffa. You heard me, they make the laffa right in front of your eyes. Delicious. Even the non-kosher food blog Midtown Lunch agrees.

But lunch got me thinking. What are my top 5 favorite Israeli foods? Naturally, I made a list.

5) Hummus: The only reason that hummus isn’t ranked higher on this list is because it is a spread that is best served with other things. When you eat hummus plain, which believe me, I have, it becomes drastically less good. Not to say that I wouldn’t keep eating it plain. I’m just saying I wouldn’t be proud of myself.

4) Schnitzel: The Jews response to fried chicken. Now if only a kosher restaurant would come out with their own version of KFC’s Double Down sandwich. All that sandwich is missing is two pieces of bread around it.

3) Falafel: Cheap, filling goodness. Falafel goes perfectly with hummus. Probably even more than hummus goes with schwarma. If cooked incorrectly, falafel can be pretty putrid though. But if it’s fresh and fluffy, there really is nothing like it. My recommendation? If you’re in NYC, Taim in the West Village is wonderful.

2) Merguez: What Roberto Alomar is to 90s baseball, merguez is to my tastebuds. In other words, the underrated food of the century. I have a major love for hot dogs. A MAJOR love for hot dogs. And merguez is just a spicy hot dog. Sign me up right now. I’ll take nine of them.

1) Schwarma: Was there really another choice? What other food can you get either as chicken, turkey or lamb, and have all three taste amazing? The grease might make you only want it on a special occasion, but when that time comes, believe me, you will enjoy your meal.