As an amateur foodie, I love nothing more than to try new restaurants and cuisines. When I got to Israel, I expected to spend my days stuffing my face with things like shakshuka, falafel, rugelach, hummus, and challah.
It turns out that there's much more to Israeli cuisine than the international community realizes.
Here are seven other foods you should eat during your time in Israel.
Milky
These things are addictive. A Milky is a superior version of chocolate pudding, topped with whipped cream. You will absolutely find Israelis who grew up eating these. Some of them even ate them for breakfast. As an adult, you'll talk yourself into thinking these are a proper breakfast food.
Where to find it: Any grocery store.
Moroccan Fish
A simple concept that packs a ton of flavor: white fish, simmered in a spiced tomato sauce. It's also incredibly healthy.
In Israel, it's very common to have multiple courses at Shabbat dinners: challah with dips and salads, soup, main course, and dessert. Many households will also include a fish course before the main course, and for many, Moroccan fish is the dish of choice. This is not to be missed.
Where to find it: Some Shabbat tables, or you can cook it yourself. It's easy. It can also be found at select restaurants. I've eaten it at kibbutzim, and Jerusalem fixture Azura is known for serving Moroccan fish to its Friday lunch crowd.
Jachnun
Watching the bread puff up in the pan is its own special treat. Jachnun is a type of sandwich that was brought to Israel by Yemenite Jews and is traditionally served on Shabbat mornings. Now, it can be found in restaurants and stands around Israel.
The fluffy bread is filled with tomato, hard-boiled eggs, and a condiment called zhug.
Where to find it: Jachnun Bar, which is a fixture at Shouk Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem. You can also find it at Shouk HaCarmel in Tel Aviv.
Krembo
This is the Israeli answer to s'mores, sans bonfire. Underneath the hard chocolate shell you'll find whipped cream, and at the very bottom is a sugar cookie. I've been served this in all kinds of settings, including before a dance class and in the teachers lounge at work.
Where to find it: Many grocery and corner stores.
Schnitzel
When I first arrived, I had to quarantine for a week. Among the staples left in our kitchens -- rice, apples, bread -- we found frozen schnitzel. It's a very common dish here, brought over by Austrian and Hungarian Jews. However, unlike the pork schnitzel you'll typically find in Europe, these are made with chicken to be kosher.
Ironically, even though I'm part Hungarian, I didn't grow up with this. But I wish I had.
Where to find it: Almost every meat restaurant in the country, including Hatch in Jerusalem.
Kubbe
Kubbe is a wheat-based dumpling brought to Israel by Iraqi and Kurdish Jews. They can have many fillings, though the most common is meat. They are normally added to soup of all kinds. I'd describe them as matzo balls on steroids.
Where to find it: Alma's, which is a small chain in Jerusalem. They're known for their cheap and comforting soups.
Stuffed Vegetables
Across the Middle East you'll find all kinds of stuffed vegetables. Israel is no exception. The most unique one I've seen (and eaten) is stuffed eggplant. Eggplant happens to be an incredibly common vegetable here. Chances are you'll be eating it every Shabbat, and finding it at every shawarma and falafel shop as a filling.
The stuffed eggplant I tried had ground beef mixed with various spices, including cinnamon, which is not a common combination in Western cooking.
Where to find it: Azura is famous for its stuffed eggplant. You can find stuffed vegetables all around Shouk Mahane Yehuda and other Middle Eastern restaurants across the country.
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