New Kosher Dairy Restaurant Expected to Open on Beren Campus

A new restaurant is set to open on the Beren Campus just a few doors away from the already popular Paprika. Basta, a new dairy restaurant, will be opening in the next few weeks.

Basta is expected to take a new twist on traditional dairy eateries. Owners Raz and Avi provided an inside look on what people can expect at the new restaurant. The food, which will be made fresh daily by a chef on premises, will be derived from old cooking styles and will be a mix of Israeli, French, Italian, and Mediterranean cooking. The menu will include a choice of dairy foods like fish, pizza, and pastas, all made from fresh ingredients. Raz explained that he wants people “to enjoy good kosher food that they never tried, that they never felt.”

Basta is under the same ownership as Paprika but will be using completely separate facilities.

Whereas Basta will have a more casual feel during the daytime, nights will be more intimate as a sit down restaurant with music and the feel of Jerusalem hospitality, explained the owners. Raz says the food will be “delicious and high end.”

Before Paprika opened this year, there were few local dairy restaurants for Beren students to choose from. Tiberias, previously the only dairy option, offers expensive dairy cuisine which is often difficult for students to afford on a budget. At the start of the fall semester, Paprika introduced new kinds of food options to  students on Beren, like the popular Toastie (a panini pressed sandwich where people can pick their meat). Now, with the opening of Basta, this trend towards new and affordable dishes is expected to continue.

The food at Basta will be cooked on the spot by sous chefs Eden and Chai. Eden will be in charge of everything made cold, which includes first and second courses. Chai will be in charge of the hot line, anything that is related to hot cooking such as sautéing, pan, grilling, griddle, and pasta.

The restaurant will also include pizza, which will be made with high quality mozzarella cheese and tomatoes in an oven made from a combination of wood and gas. The owners hope to have a daily special dish on the menu, but it will be dependent on the market they get. Additionally, people will have the opportunity to personalize their pizza, which will be made fresh.

Although it is not currently part of the caf card plan, the owners plan to be added eventually.

“I’m really excited about the new restaurant that is opening up,” exclaimed SCW Junior and Beren Student Life Committee Food Chair Anat Jacobson. “It is always fun to have new opportunities in the constant search for food.”

“The demand on quality kosher food is really bad, specifically over here,” explained Raz. “People don’t understand the meaning of kosher food.”

Raz believes that Kosher food has the ability to be as tasty and exciting as non-kosher food. “Over here, it’s become a label: kosher food is regular food,” he explained. “So over here we’re going to combine it with exploding flavors in your mouth, a good vibe of the seating, and the place itself.”

A soft opening is expected between December 1 and December 3. Basta is expected to be open to the public around December 10.