Young Judaea
On Wednesday, the Ba’Mitbach Intensive cooked and served a delicious 3-course Italian meal to the Writiopia Intensive. Check out their reviews and other writings about their authentic fine dining experience:
I wanted so badly to give a scorching review, but I’m at a loss. Upon walking in, I noticed that the tables were neatly set with waiters waiting for us. They were all extremely polite and attentive, constantly refilling water and asking how everything was going. Some may have not enjoyed the entertaining service, but I thought it added to the experience. We began with the salad, which could only be described as flavorful. Although the chefs were very generous with the lemon, it still seemed to have a tangy and crunchy taste that left you wanting more. Next came the pasta. I must admit I’m not a fan of tomatoes, but from what I could tell, the pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce was amazing. The presentation was beautiful, with herbs sprinkled on top to make it more elegant. Lastly came the dessert. A small scoop of ice cream with biscotti, put together side by side in a bowl. Since there was much more biscotti than ice cream, I felt that it was a little overpowering. However, I enjoyed the biscotti and it was great combined with the ice cream. Overall, the amusing and compelling service and scrumptious food created a brilliant atmosphere and a delightful experience. – Veronica Shrayman
When coming to the TY Express I wasn’t expecting the waitresses to also be entertainers. They really put on an unconventional show when they spilled the ice on the table and left it there to melt. Their clashing personality really showed as they responded to some of the guest with a little bit of sas. Overall, very entertaining for me, not for the other guests I was dining with. But in all seriousness, the waitress were very enthusiastic, lovely to be around, and served some delicious meals. The lemon water I was served was not too sour and was a nice start to my meal. When the Goddess Salad was served, it was plated with precision and technique. The dressing was evenly distributed around the entire plate and the touch of pepper was like the cherry on top; not too overbearing and perfectly placed. My nostrils filled with the smell of freshly picked lemons yet, I hoped for more than just lettuce and spinach with my appetizer. A few cherry tomatoes and thinly sliced cucumbers would of added some color and variety to the bland plate. While I found the salad dressing light and creamy and the pepper as a surprising little kick which complemented the dish, it was too sour and drenched in lemons. If half the lemon drizzled on the salad was taken out, the lemon to salad ratio would of been perfect. Personally, it was too tangy for my liking. Nonetheless, not a bad salad and not a bad start to my meal. When the main course was served, I didn’t know what to expect. There are many components that need to be in a pasta dish to qualify it as a great dish and clearly all my boxes were checked off on this meal. The plating was stellar and looked like a five star dish. The basil sprinkled on the top was a lovely surprise and there was a perfect ratio of sauce to noodle. The sauce tasted very much like the fresh tomatoes you would find in an authentic Italian restaurant. Once again, I loved the touch of pepper incorporated into the sauce. The chunks of garlic were very pleasant to eat with the pasta and worked cohesively with the sauce. The Pasta was cooked to perfection and the entire dish was something that came from a professional chef. Hats off to the chef on that meal, I was impressed. After that pasta, I didn’t think the chefs could make anything better. For dessert I was served ice cream with a hot fresh biscuiti. It looked more like a half broken cookie soaked in chocolate milk with a hefty serving of cheap chocolate sauce. I found the chocolate sauce unnecessary and very artificial. Even with that, the biscuitti was not too dense, hot and a delight to eat. I dipped the biscuiti into the ice cream and it was like a party in my mouth. The sweetness of the ice cream worked with the doughiness of the biscuiti. The heat from the biscuiti worked well with the cold of the ice cream. When I sat down to dine at the TY Express, my expectations were low and I really did not know what kind of level of cooking I was working with. The chefs proved me wrong that a group of amateur chefs could come together and make something magical. Great entertainment, great food, and just a great time. Thank you. – Ariel Shultz
Dear TY Express,
I’ve had my fair share of meals at your main location, well over two dozen. As such, I expected TY Express to be much of the same. Let’s just say I was pleasantly surprised. I very much enjoyed everything I had when I visited. However, there were some rather peculiar things.
I noticed that our waitresses seem to be lacking either training, experience, or both. Not knowing the comparatively miniscule menu, pouring water and ice on the table rather than our glasses, and failing to clean up the mess for some time afterwards. Perhaps they need a tad bit more sleep, what kind of hours do you have them working? I then believed, albeit rather foolishly, that a lemon in my water would truly improve my dining experience. You would be quick to prove me wrong.
I can tell that you’re all familiar with spices, but at some point you have to put your foot down and say “Enough!”. While there happen to be many Greek Goddesses from which you could have drawn inspiration for your salad, it seems that you are only familiar with the Goddess of Lemons. Regardless of your repertoire of the Pantheon, it seemed as though I was drowning in lemon and pepper as I grazed through the lettuce. The pure tartness was absolutely overwhelming my tastebuds, masking any other part of the dish. Speaking of which, would it kill to have a bit more diversity? I’ve gotten salads from Chinese Take-out with more vegetables than that. Don’t take this the wrong way. I liked the salad and found it an appropriate start to the meal, but perhaps some changes would do it good.
Next came the pasta, a staple of the restaurant business. I had faith that I couldn’t find fault within such a standard dish. And that’s exactly how it went down: standard, just as I like it. I could smell the enticing aroma of the sauce calling out to me from the kitchen, and I knew what I was in for. I personally dislike it when restaurants try and put their own strange and often unwanted “twist” on classic dishes. Pasta is good, people like it, we can leave it at that. Your pasta, I must say, looked wonderful, and it tasted even better. I appreciated that you left the basil atop the mound of pasta rather than stir it in the sauce, allowing me to portion it to my liking. I found it well-spiced, and neither inundated nor in drought of sauce. The pasta itself wasn’t undercooked, and certainly not overcooked. With every bite I could taste the tomatoes, and I knew that whoever made this took great care in its design. Compliments to the chefs.
Lastly, the biscotti. First things first, the biscotti came as a surprise, as I had never eaten or even seen it in that manner. You chose to make a softer biscotti, rather than going for the typical hard and crunchy variation. My teeth give you thanks for that. After the summery temperatures of the pasta dish, the wintery complement of chocolate ice cream was welcomed graciously. Furthermore, even though my drizzle of chocolate sauce turned out to be more of a pour, it blended well with the ice cream, yet I had wrongly believed it would become far too chocolatey. Once again, fantastically done. Overall, for camp food, an absolutely amazing, “don’t miss it” experience.
And while the numerous bugs were distracting, and the rather empty restaurant somewhat perplexing, I truly can’t complain much. After all, I didn’t pay a cent! Though, rather strangely, while you call yourselves TY Express, that was by far the slowest meal I’ve had all week. Perhaps a new name is in order.
Yours truly,
-William Nilsen
The Raisin
Concealed beauty between wrinkled skin,
With age the raisin hides a sweetness within
Began his legacy as a grape, round and squealing with raw juice,
With time, the lush burst of flavor with a thin skin
Changed
Morphed
By an intense access to the flame
Creating a thick skin and a more delectable inside that takes a long time to reach
The aromatic scent of a sweet fig like fruit
Provides me an an ear to ear smile
For I know I won’t be disappointed
Resembling the creases and sweetness of a beloved grandmother
The raisin has persisted through heat and danger
Damaged beauty
Small channels in between layers of wrinkles
Intertwined amongst skin that once writhed
Not quite a grape, or cranberry,
Unique and sparking a tangy sweet sensation
Powerful to my taste buds
The tragic end of a rigorous life
Bittersweet
The raisin
– Yael Bright
Ode to the Lemon
Oh lemon, how I despise and adore you.
You are positive and negative,
You are sour and sweet.
How is it possible to be two opposites at the same time?
You are soury, tart, and refreshing.
You are vibrant, round, and juicy.
Your thick and unique fragrance can travel for miles,
Leaving all those around feeling a sense of cleanliness.
Your outside is rough, hard, but yet it is smooth,
Even though your tough skin is coated with miniscule protrusions.
Your inside, smooth and slippery, like like a freshly fallen raindrop.
Your bold, spritely, vivid, and stimulating color
makes me feel as if I am holding the sun in my own two hands.
Your refreshing flavor makes my face scrunch up and crinkle,
Trying not to show how your tart and bitterness makes my taste buds go numb for a little while.
But, your aftertate is sweet, making my mouth feel as if my taste buds have come back to life and are dancing animatedly around my tongue.
Cutting you open I can feel the release of pressure,
You sprinkle your surroundings with little freckles of your precious juice.
When you are squeezed, not only do you release your delicious juices,
But an almost silent “squish”.
Oh lemon, how I loathe and treasure you.
You are positive and negative,
You are pungent and pleasurable.
You show that it is possible to be two opposites at the same time
– Ma’yan Amkraut