Bourekas Bachar
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A flaky taste of Haifa & Jerusalem the way it is supposed to be!
I am happily and proudly married to an Ashkenazic woman who has mastered macaroni and cheese. I could want no more.
Were I to fantasize, it would not be based on looks or personality but, a dreamy, turban wearing Savta that could whip up dishes rich with flavor and spices that would make my tummy dance happily each day. Why? Because Sephardim know their food!
One angle Sephardim know best is the boureka. Originating in the Balkan or Greek lands, this flaky phyllo dough dish filled with many options and baked til crusty on the outside (and usually drenched in sesame seeds) is a staple of the Sephardic tribe that the Ashkenazic people love.
The best boureka in town? Bachar in Machane Yehuda Market.
These guys learned their craft in Constantinople. Yes…..before it was Istanbul. There they perfected the doughy baked good and then emigrated to Haifa and made a living on this dish and sharing it with others.
Go to Bachar today in the open area of the shuk and you will find a nook down a small alley where you can sip on beers, nibble on bourekas with pickles and eggs (as they are made to be served) and talk about the days of old and to be. The location reminds me of a speak-easy.
Any of the dishes here are excellent. Make sure they prepare you a proper plate and sit down and drink some coffee and slow down while enjoying the boureka. If you get it in a bag and eat it on the run, you are losing half of its potency and value.
Some places know their trade. Bachar is such a place and a MUST visit on any trip to the shuk. Luckily, because of how they are fashioned, you can make it a snack or a meal, depending on your appetite.
See you there, where I will be munching on mushroom, spinach and cheese bourekas along with pickles and eggs. YUM!!
