Though I arrived exhausted and nauseated after 12 hours of overnight flying sans sleep, Sarah insisted we inaugurate our arrival in Tel Aviv with a trip to nearby Shangrila, the kosher Thai restaurant located at the Astor Hotel on HaYarkon Street. Though the building is separated from the coast by an unappealing parking lot, the restaurant was tastefully decorated (a bit of window-washing and paint touch-ups may be in order).

We were only one of two parties seated at 7PM, which, we guessed, was early by local standards, and gave me second thoughts about the popularity and quality of the place. Of course, that was before we ordered. I apologize in advance for my total blanking on the authentic names of the dishes.

To start, we both had soups, which were creatively served atop a ceramic vessel containing a small flame. I ordered the Tom Yam Gai, a soup of chicken, coconut milk, lemongrass, mushrooms, and chili. Sarah’s was more tame — with chicken, bean sprouts, and cellophane noodles. I found the flavor of the Tom Yam Gai to be interesting but overwhelming, while Sarah’s was light and very easy to eat.

Next, we tried delicious chicken/vegetable-stuffed dumplings with a deep-fried corn-based dough. We would have loved more than just four dumplings, especially since the four sauces served alongside (ranging from spicy to sweet) deserved more attention.

Our entrees were chicken pad thai and beef satay. Sarah absolutely devoured the pad thai, which was very good and offered no surprises from what we expected of the Thai mainstay. The satay was also tasty, the beef slightly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. I can’t speak to the authenticity of the thick, peanuty sauce, but I can say that I prefered the satay preparation discussed on the blog some months ago — more visible chunks of ingredients and a lighter, fresher flavor.

All in all, a great experience for our first restaurant trip. Quality food, good service, and convenient to the beachside hotels.