Last Stop in Israel: Eilat

Sadly, Eilat was our last stop in Israel before crossing the border to Jordan for a 3-day tour. We didn't have a lot of time in Eilat, but we managed to squeeze in a quick snorkel in the Red Sea.

Temperatures were a little less than ideal (read: freezing) and for some reason I had a weird reaction to the water and couldn't stay in very long. Nevertheless, the views were amazing! The water was incredibly clear and there were hundreds of fish all along the gorgeous corals. The corals themselves were bright and multi-colored and alive with the movement of the sea. Dan even made a friend; one medium-sized fish came right up to his face, sniffed around and then headed out.

We spent the evening relaxing on the beach, playing cards and drinking (juice).

Before we leave Israel and move on to Jordan though, I have to tell you about the food. I've mentioned a couple of things here and there, but now is the time to give you a run-down of how amazing the food in Israel really is. Funny story: Dan and I keep kosher, meaning we basically live a vegetarian lifestyle outside of our house. In fact, most of our friends in Harrogate count us as vegetarians since that's all they see us eat. At the end of this trip though, Kyle and Sarah were...impressed? disgusted? with the amount of meat we actually eat when given the choice. Here were some of my favorite meals.

Best Burger:

BurgersBar; Photo by Sarah

Sorry McDonald's, but BurgersBar, Jerusalem wins this hands down. This is a nation-wide chain and we ate there a few times. This burger we had on the first night was the best though.

Best Meat Fest:

Haari 8; Photo by Sarah

Yes, we had more than one meat fest from which to choose. Sorry again to my vegetarian friends. The clear winner is Haari 8 in Safad. That was easily the best pile of mixed meats I've ever had.

Papagaio; Photo by Sarah

Runner-up was Papagaio in Jerusalem. This is an all-you-can-eat Brazilian grill, similar to Fogo de Chão, but kosher! The food was plentiful, but for the price I'm not sure it was the best. The chicken wings were awesome, as was the London broil. But the entrecôte was a bit overcooked. It had nothing on Haari 8.

Best Chinese/En Flambé

Mr. Shai; Photo by Sarah

Mr. Shai, one of only three restaurants in Arad (near the Dead Sea), was a surprise hit. Kyle's meal of lemon chicken en flambe was the most impressive, but Dan's was the tastiest. He ordered a crispy goose with honey that was absolutely fantastic.

Best Thai:

Thailandi

We stumbled upon Thailandi in Jerusalem. It's not much to look at, but this pad thai was so tasty! I've never had it with beef and goose in it before! I loved it!

Best Mexican:

Ha'Mexicani

Ha'Mexicani (translation: the Mexican), was a fun find in Eilat. The freshly made tortillas were were stuffed to the brim with grilled meat, fresh guacamole and salsa. It was fantastic.

Best Sign:

Quick Meat: For Those Who Like Meat

Only Dan actually ate at Quick Meat in Eilat, but I have to give the restaurateur credit for a great sign. It's like he was speaking directly to me.

And sadly, that ends our time in Israel. Next up, adventures in Jordan!

Read about our stops in Israel and Jordan:
Jerusalem, Israel
Tel Aviv, Israel
Northern Israel
Ein Gedi; Masada; Dead Sea, Israel
Petra, Jordan
Wadi Rum, Jordan