Tibi's: The Steak Worth a Two-Hour Drive

The short walk from the car to the door of Tibi's is almost unbearable, with the 40-degree heat of the Sea of Galilee area hitting you with full force. Inside, however, the air conditioning is a welcome relief. Tibi's at the Vered HaGalil holiday village is one of the most established restaurants in the region, operating for decades. Chef Haim Tibi, a true Galilean institution who previously managed the kitchen at Mitzpe Hayamim, has been at the helm here for 13 years.

The restaurant greets you with an elegant, restrained design that feels pleasantly old-fashioned. Wine shelves line the walls, and aging refrigerators display massive cuts of premium beef. Meat is the name of the game here, even in the appetizers.

We started with two Spanish Estrella beers and beef sausages. They proved that a serious chef can produce a wonderful sausage from beef alone. Accompanied by smooth Dijon and grainy mustard, along with sauerkraut, the dish was spot on. The salad was the only minor slip-up; while the duck confit was excellent, the lettuce seemed a bit tired, and the composition felt slightly disorganized. Nevertheless, it was a minor detail in an otherwise great meal.

We also indulged in a non-meat dish: pasta flowers stuffed with cheeses and za'atar, served in a yogurt and tomato cream sauce. This dish proved that the kitchen's expertise goes far beyond just grilling meat.

"A large 500-gram steak, cooked perfectly to medium, was juicy, moderately fatty, and incredibly tender,"—this was the bone-in entrecote recommended by our waitress, and it was a stellar choice.

It was a highly professional steak, well worth the two-hour drive to Vered HaGalil. Accompanied by excellent mashed potatoes, we left happy and satisfied, despite the long journey home.

Prices (before tip):