Manta Ray, Tel Aviv

I am back in NYC but am going to post the final meal from Tel Aviv where we ate at Manta Ray.  Here is what is great about Manta Ray, the location.  Literally located on the beach where you can hear the waves lapping on the shore.  The food is good but not so great.  They are open for breakfast which is what I'd go for.  Sitting in the restaurant with the breezes of the ocean flowing through the tables while sipping on a cup of coffee is probably the best way to go at Manta Ray.

Dips
The first course we picked a few salads from the many that are offered.  The ones we picked were good but the one outstanding dish was the eggplant which had been roasted and served with some yogurt on the side. 

Pot
I had a pot of seafood.  Nice presentation and good. 

Shrimpcala
Fred had the shrimp and calamari.

Shrimp
Em went with a shrimp dish.

Calamari
Jess and Josh had the calamari.  I particularly liked the thin sweet potato chips on top which I managed to finish consuming for Jessica after a few glasses of wine.

Bottom line, it was time to go back to NYC.  Spending every night together for dinner when everyone is for lack of a better world, an adult, can be tough.  I am shocked that we found things to talk about every night.  I can see these trips inevitably changing over the next couple of years.  I'd be thrilled if all the kids brought along a friend, a boyfriend or a girlfriend.  We could continue traveling and spending time together at least for an extended time period once a year.  We will see where the wind blows next year.

Comments (Archived):

  1. rachel

    Loved reading these trip posts as always. Will be saving them for when we have children old enough to take the the middle east…!Think I have a romantic view of family travel and love that you guys do it. Feel like there is so much bonding, learning, QT spent together (maybe too much). I know this is romantic view and not always easy but hope our kids will want to hang and travel with us at some point. I like the idea of figuring out how to make it continue and work – whether that be with friends/significant others, splitting up a bit more, etc etc.Happy New Year!

    1. Gotham Gal

      it is a process. keep your romantic view. it is very romantic at times andat other times not so much but in the end, it is a very good thing thefamily travel.

  2. Aviad Peer

    As an Israeli and for the last 3 years a New Yorker I loved reading your posts from the trip to Israel. IMHO you indeed went to some of the best restaurants.TODA, Aviad

    1. Gotham Gal

      good to know. we really had a great time.

  3. Rishona Campbell

    Wow, it sure looks pretty! However its definitely not kosher, so I’ll guess I’ll never know!I loved the Tel Aviv pictures. I’ve been to Israel twice, but mostly have gone around Jerusalem; since that is where “my connections” (Orthodox Jews) tend to be. However I heard that Tel Aviv has a very New York flavor to it; I would love to give it a spin one day (as long as I can find some kosher food there)!

    1. Gotham Gal

      There are plenty of kosher restaurants in tel aviv. Give it a try

  4. A visitor

    Sort of sad to travel as wealthy tourists and make so little effort to understand what is going on around you.

    1. Gotham Gal

      U are obviously not reading the posts. We are very well aware of what isgoing around us.

  5. LaHaHeL

    We came there on Thursday evening to celebrate birthday, just my partner and me. We were in a good mood, expecting to have a nice supper. None at the entrance even looked at us – can’t say someone from staff members was standing there at all (this is an important fact – remember it!). The place was half full. We’ve chosen a table for two on the open terrace and after 10 minutes managed to catch a waiter and asked him to bring us the menu. Nothing happened during the next 20 minutes, and we saw the same waiter serving other tables. SUDDENLY some girl came to us and, without introducing herself, asked in a very rude and unpleasant manner if we have reserved the table. We told “no we haven’t” – because we didn’t know we have to reserve a table (which is quite normal cause the place doesn’t look as a fancy restaurant – just a beach caffee). Then she told we had to stand at the entrance and to wait until the hostess will let us come in, and you just SNICKED in (!!!). We answered: “First of all, we didn’t SNICK in, we just came in and none asked us anything or even looked at us. And we sit here already 30 minutes and didn’t even get the menu”. She told: “The tables here areĀ  ordered”. We asked: “So you mean you want us to come and leave?” She said: “Yes, please”. We were so much shocked by such attitude of the place and so much pissed off so we didn’t even want to make a scandal or try to stand on our own, we just kicked ourselves out of there.Resume: First they let you come in because they don’t know how to organize correctly their hostess work, then they make you waiting for 30 minutes, and when they find out you “SNICKED” in (such a nasty and rude expression, making you feel like 14 y.o. boy that did smth wrong) they just come and say you need to go. Seems they have too many clients and not really interested in the new ones – well, Manta Ray: you lost us forever!Things like that never happened to us even in much better restaurants, and we never got offended by the staff in any place where we came to spend the money! Manta Ray is snobbish as if it had 3 Michelin stars but actually it’s another seafood eatery popular among tourists for its good location – not more.

    1. Gotham Gal

      thats terrible.