The first Casa de Cava (Cava house) in Israel.

ISRAEL: CATALAN BAR BRINGS SPANISH FLAVOURS TO TEL AVIV

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, JULY 28 - With Barcelona having become one of the hot travel destinations for young Israelis, it was only a matter of time before Tel Aviv acquired its first Catalan bar. La Champa, located on the intersection of trendy Rothschild Ave. and Nahalat Binyamin, fits the bill nicely, bringing the best of Catalan food and drink to the discriminating tastebuds of Tel-Aviv revelers. Walking into La Champa, reports Jerusalem Post online, the first thing you hear over the sound of the music and conversation is the popping of effervescence-propelled corks - a sound that sets a festive mood all by itself. The main attraction of the establishment is its exclusive brand of Cava, a type of sparkling wine produced mainly in the Penedés region of Catalonia, Spain. Like its French cousin champagne, Cava can be only be made in six wine regions, using only the traditional method and only a select species of grapes. The name Cava comes from the Latin word for "cave", since caves were traditionally used for the preservation and aging of wine thanks to their constant, slightly chilly temperature and high humidity levels. La Champa is the first Casa de Cava (Cava house) in Israel. It is difficult to define what exactly a Cava-bar is, since it doesn't fall into any familiar categories. It isn't a restaurant, since the place has no seating or waiters, and it isn't a bar, because the only drink served is Cava. The place has the ambience of a pub, with background music and dim lighting - but without the pretensions of a typical Tel-Aviv nightspot. The inspiration for bringing this unique establishment to Tel-Aviv came from seeing the success of similar places in Spain. "Everybody who has been to Barcelona and has gone to the Cava-bar said somebody should open a place like that in Israel. We decided to go for it," says co-owner Avihu Kirmayer. Much of La Champàs menu is designed with the Cava in mind, such as its excellent, bite-sized tapas. La Champa is also a carnivorés fantasy, with a display of assorted meats, all of them said to be specially imported or else produced in Israel exclusively for La Champa. Grilled orders are filled by La Champàs own line of hamburgers and sausages prepared by chef Ellen Talmor. If meat isn't your thing, La Champa also has a wide selection of cheeses, olives, and cooked dishes such as patatas bravas (cooked potatoes in a zesty red sauce) and homemade croquettes (deep-fried snacks made from breaded potatoes with a variety of fillings). (ANSAmed).
2007-07-28 16:15