Tandoori: Restaurant moves near Tel Aviv beach, bringing sea breeze to the spice - review

Some restaurants remain in a city’s memory not just for the food, but for the people, the moments, and the stories attached to them. Tandoori is one of those places.

Historic meetings took place at its tables; prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was a regular; and, according to local legend, Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu’s first date took place there.

You can’t tell Tandoori’s story without mentioning Rina Pushkarna, who founded the restaurant and still runs it today.

Pushkarna, born in New Delhi, came to Israel with her husband Vinod more than 35 years ago. Over the years, she became something of an unofficial ambassador for Indian culture in Israel, hosting ministers, diplomats, and artists; accompanying official delegations to India; and becoming part of the fabric connecting the two countries.

Today, alongside her day-to-day management of the restaurant, her son is also involved, bringing new ideas and rotating menus while keeping the Indian identity that has defined the place since it opened.

I went to the restaurant with an old friend. We both remember the Dizengoff Square Tandoori and Rina Pushkarna from the days when she was one of the city’s most recognizable figures. Our plan was to try the new menu, but it was clear from the start that we weren’t skipping the dishes that have become classics.

While we were still deciding what to order, Pushkarna herself walked in, dressed in traditional Indian clothing, and stopped for a quick conversation. In a gesture typical of her, she suggested what we should choose and ordered us two gin and tonics to mark the occasion.

Unlike other iconic restaurants, Tandoori has managed to stay relevant over the years, hosting first-time diners discovering Indian food alongside regulars who have been coming for decades.

The new menu brings a lighter version of Indian cuisine to the promenade, with dishes reminiscent of street food, well suited to a table facing the sea.

Among the dishes we tried were Fish Pakora: fish fillets coated in chickpea flour and spices, served with house-made dips; Chicken Tikka Roll, spicy chicken wrapped in warm naan; and Vada Pav, a spiced potato patty in the Mumbai street-food style, served in a soft bun with chutney. These were served along with chili-cheese naan and masala fries.

The new dishes range from NIS 35 to NIS 55, with beer, a glass of wine, or a soft drink available for an additional NIS 10. Those who’d rather skip the sit-down meal can take their order down to the beach.