In a beautiful Ottoman-built home overlooking the sea in the ancient city of Acre in northern Israel, the Uri Buri restaurant is internationally renowned for its creative fish and seafood cooking.
The famed restaurant, open since 1989, was just listed among the top 25 ‘Best Fine Dining Restaurants in the World’ as part of the 2019 TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Awards. Uri Buri’s famous dishes include amberjack seviche, scallops in curried cream sauce, and anchovy fillets in lemon and oil – but the menu changes constantly based on the local fishermen’s catch. Oh, and did we mention that the meal is served with more than 100 different kinds of fine Israeli wines?
Diners visit this restaurant in far-flung Acre for the amazing food, but also in the hope of catching a glimpse of Uri, the man. With his long white beard, everlasting smile and cheerful disposition, Uri ‘Buri’ Jeremias could easily pass for Santa Claus, and he enjoys the comparison with the sunny denizen of the North Pole.
Uri ‘Buri’ Jeremias has been experimenting with the Mediterranean Sea’s bounty for nearly three decades. (Photo: Sarit Goffen)
Jeremias also takes his business personally; it’s his life. “This is not a restaurant,” he told Israeli food magazine Al Hashulchan. “It is my kitchen, the cooking methods which I’ve adopted, my palate sensitivity and my love of hosting and entertaining.”
Part of Jeremias’ international fame stems from his book, “Uri Buri – Fish & Seafood,” that takes food lovers on an in-depth journey into his world. Cooking along the shores of the Mediterranean taught him the ins and outs of choosing the right fish and the best local ingredients to bring out just the right flavors from the day’s catch. In the book, he goes into how-to mode on grilling, roasting, curing, pickling, smoking, frying, stewing, steaming and baking to help share his love of food from the sea with at-home chefs.
Want to see Buri in action? The eatery was featured in the documentary “In Search of Israeli Cuisine,” which is available on Netflix. Want more? Check out the Israel episode on the first season of “Somebody Feed Phil” also on Netflix, in which the host stops by the restaurant. “I’m honored that Phil & Netflix decided that Uri Buri was among the best representatives of Israeli cuisine,” said Jeremias after filming. “I’m happy to report that Phil left full and very happy.”
Originally posted at fromthegrapevine.com