Molten mozzarella (restaurant review)

Jerusalem Post, Weekend Magazine; May 1, 2008

Iceberg Vulcano, located in Tel Aviv's new port, offers boutique pizza at high-street prices

The Iceberg ice cream parlor has established itself as a street-side, summer attraction in Tel Aviv. Its creative, unusual flavors and home-made preparation often draw lines that spill out onto Rehov Ben-Yehuda. Part of the credit goes to Doron Laurent, Iceberg's former chef.

Laurent's training, however, isn't in ice cream. From his French father's side, Laurent comes from a long line of restaurateurs and chefs in the city of Arles in southern France.

He has worked as a pastry chef under Alain Passard at the prestigious Arbege in France. He admits to being overqualified for ice cream, but he took Iceberg's offer because it served as a nurturing home.

He has gone back to his roots in flour - if not to his French roots - by turning up the heat with Iceberg's new Italian restaurant and pizzeria, Vulcano. Vulcano opened last September in the Tel Aviv port with an Iceberg parlor on the premises, and it serves as Iceberg's perfect "hot" counterpart.

Iceberg Vulcano clearly comes across as a family pizzeria - easygoing, child-friendly and a tad boisterous. Children were getting their faces messy licking ice cream cones at the table. Teenagers were munching on pizza alone. Adults streamed in every so often to pick up cartons of ice cream. But the casual family feel does not translate into a small or simplistic menu. Devised by Laurent, it offers options for all age groups. For example, kids can order milk shakes while adults can order the warm, almond-tinged sangria, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Children might appreciate the Spanish pinchos starters (NIS 30) for their colors, but the flavors appeal to more adult sophistication. Pinchos are like a mix of brochettes and tapas, with toppings that alternate nightly. Ours came with sardines and pickled lemons; mozzarella and dried tomatoes; pear, walnut and gorgonzola; mushrooms and bacon; lox and cream cheese. Each was characterized by fine raw materials and preparation, doing justice to the restaurant's culinary slogan "100% low-tech" which translates into natural and balanced food.

The onion soup (NIS 28), warmly recommended by the waitress, came with long, thin French baguettes perfectly glazed with butter and garlic. The soup is made according to Laurent's grandmother's recipe, and while overall satisfying, it was not as great as the waitress suggested. I couldn't help but wish it came in a bread bowl of Laurent's design. The bacon bits (a prominent feature on the menu) gave the rather mild soup a smoky twist.

The pizzas are baked the Italian way with a thin, crisp crust sturdy enough to hold the cheese without getting soggy. It may be hard to revert back to the major commercial chains after trying Laurent's pies. Each is made with smoked mozzarella imported from Italy to add a little punch to the locally bought soft mozzarella. Laurent's love affair with cheese became clear when he went back to the kitchen to show off a block of the smoked cheese, pointing to its charred edges. "It's incredible," he states.

The flour is also imported from Italy. "Italian flour is much richer in protein and gluten," explains Laurent. "It creates more elastic dough and it has much more power. It won't tear."

I tried the delicious bacon/sweet potato pizza (NIS 45) both with and without the bacon (the servers seek to accommodate customers' requests to add or subtract ingredients). The sweet potato sauce created a delectable creaminess countered by the crunchy sweet potato chip topping. I found the "three and one third" cheese pizza (mozzarella, gorgonzola, Parmesan and a third St. Mor), a little too cheesy (NIS 45). The arugula topping contributed some healthy leafiness, but did not add any more flavor. I regretted not trying another pizza concoction. Overall the toppings available cover vegetables, meat, and seafood.

The pineapple tart for dessert was a bit disappointing given Laurent's background. It looked beautiful with tiny pineapple pearls, but it came off as a little too pretentious; the flavor too sweet and fruity. I should have gone for something in the chocolate category, or maybe just some old-fashioned ice cream.

BOTTOM LINE:
Iceberg Vulcano is a great place for parents to take their children for a family outing or for a birthday celebration, or, for that matter, anyone who wants to enjoy quality pizza. As the weather gets warmer and foot traffic in the port increases, I imagine people will wait in line for pizza just like they do at the Iceberg ice cream parlors.
Tel Aviv Port, Hanger 11, (03) 602-6000.