December 2024
There is no need to go to Greece when the best of Greece has come to Israel at Yamas Restaurant.

Israel and Greece have so much in common, says Moshe, owner of Yamas Restaurant. There is the sea, the weather, and even our blue and white flags.

Till now, the one thing that we were missing in Israel was the Greek food. We welcome Yamas Restaurant, bringing the best food of Greece to Ashdod.

This is the real thing. Greek chef Yargo, a native of Athens, presents his favorite dairy dishes. Yum! All those stuffed phyllo dough dishes, fish and cheese dishes. The best.

One sunny afternoon my companion and I tanked up the car and drove out of our comfort zone to visit Yamas Restaurant in Ashdod. It was well worth the drive.

The very charming manager Lee received us and showed us the ropes. Our meal started with a loaf of Greek bread, made from scratch at the restaurant. This was served with two dips. Anxious to show us his specialty salads, Yorgo brought us an off-menu tasting tray with a selection of his unique Greek mazetim. This gave us a chance to taste the classic Greek dishes. Tzatziki, the creamy yogurt based dip is an absolute must in the Greek menu, Fava is an excellent puree based on yellow split peas. Skordalia is a spread made with almonds, garlic and olive oil. Greek humus and techina are not the same as their Israeli counterparts, as is the eggplant dip. Each of these appetizers can be ordered by the bowl. I would not know which to recommend. They were all delicious.

Now comes the part where my companion and I argue about which is the best dish. His top contender was the salad, which was too spicy for me. Spanakopita and Melitzanes are two classic Greek dishes. Both were expertly prepared and delicious. Chef Yorgo's Melitzanes are rolled eggplant filled with a creamy spinach and topped with a generous portion of crumbly feta cheese. The Greek kitchen is heavy on yogurt and Feta cheese which is richer than the white cheese that is more common in Israel, and makes everything taste better.
I am partial to the Greek vegetable-filled phyllo dough dishes so Spanakopita is a favorite. At Yamas the Spanakopita was a large slice of spinach pie with leaves of phyllo dough layered between the greens. This was perfectly prepared and I could not get enough of it. Both my companion and I enjoyed all the dishes so thoroughly it was hard to say that any one was a favorite.

Yamas also offers whole and skewered fish dishes. Souvlaki is usually grilled skewered meat, but at Yamas the Souvlaki skewers are chunks of salmon. These are coal grilled when ordered.

Do we or don't we need a dessert after this excellent and filling meal? That is always the question.
Lee encouraged us to try the chef's specialty Greek dessert, and who are we to say no. Galaktoboureko is a classic Greek pastry made with phyllo filled with sweet cream much like the crispy blintz that your grandmother did not make. The dessert is positively sinful and should not be missed.

Before we returned to the center of the country the chef offered us an aperitif made from a vine that he cultivates in a planter outside the restaurant. L'chayim! Yiamas! To your health!

Music at the Taverna	Greek chef Yorgo

The restaurant offers a business lunch from 1pm - 6pm. NIS 85 and NIS 95. Or you can order from the full menu and use the eLuna discount till 8pm. Menu in sections named for places in Greece.

Till recently Yamas was only open for dinner. A short time ago the restaurant opened from 1pm. So you can enjoy lunch and dinner at the restaurant. The highlight of the Yamas week is the Thursday night Taverna. From 9pm the restaurant lights up with live music and dancing. Folks come from all over the country to enjoy the Greek atmosphere, the food, break some plates and in general have a great time.

There is a large underground parking lot with a flight of steps that lead to the courtyard. There is also a ramp. Ask at the restaurant about parking near the ramp.

When you are in Greece! Moshe and Lee are the proud owners of a kosher restaurant in Thessaloníki. If you are in Greece, be sure to stop in this restaurant.  If it is anything like Yamas, it will be worth the trip just for the restaurant.

	From the Menu: Bread with 2 dips NIS 28 Tzatziki NIS 28 Fava NIS 32 Yamas salad NIS 69 Rolled eggplant NIS 78 Spinach pie NIS 38 Souvlaki Salmon NIS 78
Galaktoboureko