We took a quick taxi
ride (about $10 USD for a 5-minute ride) from the Waldorf Astoria to a venue
called First Station because we had heard that several restaurants there might
be open. First Station is an historic train station that was part of the Jaffa -
Jerusalem railway route, back when it was called Khan Station because of the
old caravanserai building across the street. (A
caravanserai was a roadside inn where travelers could rest and recover
from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce,
information, and people across the network of trade routes covering Asia, North
Africa, and Southeast Europe, most notably, the Silk Road.) The station first opened in 1892 and closed in
1998; however, after laying neglected for many years, in 2013 it reopened as a
cultural and entertainment center. The old station offices, ticket hall, and
concourse are now home to wooden decks, restaurants, vendor carts, and
children’s rides. On the Saturday night that we visited, a live band was playing
on the stage, but that area sometimes hosts movies, dancing, and other
activities.
Not all of the cafes
and pubs were open yet (they did open after sundown, however), making it easier
to choose a restaurant. Although the restaurant Adom looked crowded, when we
inquired about availability with the hostess, we were pleased that she offered
us two seats at the bar. Although Adom originally opened in 2001 in the
Finegold Courtyard in the city center, in 2013 it moved to First Station. The
Mediterranean, French, and Italian-inspired menu is fairly encompassing,
offering fish and seafood, meat, and pasta. Besides its fine-dining seasonal
menu, Adom also offers a lighter late-night menu and children’s options. The
restaurant offers outdoor seating on a deck, as well as dining indoors in one
of two rooms: the main dining area and the bar room, which contains tables
arranged around the three-sided bar. A private room can be reserved to host 14
guests. The name “Adom” means “red” in Hebrew, a nod to the color of the walls as
well as to the wines that the original restaurant served. In addition to Adom,
the partners also own the Colony, Lavan (which is Hebrew for “white”) at the
Cinematique, Khanele at the Khan Theatre (almost across the street from The
First Station), and Khan Catering. The drink menu arrived in a novel wooden box
(with selections offered on index-like cards) along with some freshly baked
bread and a spread. We had an excellent dinner of a shared starter (although it
was called a sabich, it was not the traditional sandwich, instead a bowl of
grains and vegetables, topped with a semi-cooked egg), two main dishes (chicken
in coconut sauce and squash risotto), a shared dessert (an amazing presentation
of tahini ice cream and other dollops of goodness), and a few rounds of drinks
for about $120 USD.
We took a taxi from
First Station back to the Waldorf, which we arranged using the Israeli Gett app
(similar to Uber or Lyft, which were not permitted in Israel at the time).
Although it was only a short ride, it cost about $10 USD. (It was less than one
mile from the restaurant to the hotel; however, it was not on flat ground but
instead over some gentle hills, and we were tired after our long day of
sightseeing.)
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