Restaurant Review: Onami - Where to eat Japanese Food in Tel Aviv

Onami Restaurant in Tel Aviv is hands down one of my favourite Japanese/Sushi Restaurants in Israel. Its got it all - ambiance, amazing food, obscure and delicious items on the menu, a reasonable wine (or Saki) list etc. Its been mentioned that Israel has the highest rate of Sushi restaurants per capita 'in the world' - which I find hard to believe - and not to say that the sushi is not good or, god forbid, fresh - its more that it seems to lack authenticity. With all of that being said - Onami brings me back to my childhood memories of Japan ;). So - what was ordered? Something that I loyally, and almost religiously ordered in Toronto (at SOB - Sushi on Bloor) agedashi tofu - bite size deep fried pieces of tofu usually plunged in a slightly diluted soy sauce - and at some restaurants they like to put bonito flakes (dried fish flaked) on top which doesn't tickle my fancy - so its always best to ask for the dish without them. Secondly, we ordered a mixed sauteed mushroom dish on a bed of spinach sprinkled with sesame seeds - it was tasty, enjoyable but not outstanding enough to order again. And the final appetizer - which was solely my suggestion - was a glass noodle salad dish with an array of fresh vegetables and fluffy omelet type noodles shaved on top - again, enjoyable - to the extent that we pretty much finished it - but would likely received a 6.9/10 on the richter scale. Now to the goods aka SUSHI! We ordered a Shrimp Inari and a Spicy Tuna Inari - both amazing, Shrimp more so!! Inari is some sort of rendition of a lightly sweetened tofu cakes/cups - which is held together with a piece of seaweed. Either way it was lovely, fresh and satisfying. And for dessert we ordered (or more Lior persuaded me to order) The Green Tea Ice Cream. As many of us North Americans (or maybe just Torontonians) have come to know or even expect - when we go for reasonably priced sushi - is a complimentary Miso soup and green tea/mango/red bean ice cream dessert. My point is this - the Green Tea Ice Cream was worth paying for at Onami. It was more like a sorbet with some fresh whipping cream on top. Oh yes - and we shared a bottle of white wine - Israeli - Gewurztraminer - wonderful. Over all and repeatedly I give it a 9/10 - because its always good, fresh!!! and happening!