Limited Extent
Polenta twist, raspberry eclair, and cappuccino
Place: Liby Patisserie, Yokneam Hamoshava
When: Sunday, very late morning
Environment: Liby comes with raves, but it’s only for the food. The place itself lacks charm. It’s located in a parking lot that it shares with a few other buildings. There’s an (air-conditioned) enclosed deck that is noisy and echoey, two little tables outside the front door under a tree, and two little tables inside the shop. It’s not a warm and friendly place, but it maintains its popularity nonetheless. There were barely any spots to sit when I arrived, but within 10 minutes, the place cleared out. Even the tables do not invite comfortable seating, as they are all wooden slatted tables, so if you don’t keep your tray, your order will likely tip over. The chairs match the tables. The menu is dough-heavy: breads, pizzas, sandwiches, sweet and savory pastries. However, they do offer a few ready-to-go salads as well as packaged baked goods. Ordering is done at the counter, and customers are given a little beeper to take to their table that notifies them when the order is ready.
My Order: Polenta twist (NIS 30); raspberry éclair (NIS 44); small cappuccino (NIS 15).
The low-down: The coffee was really good, offering a balanced ratio of milk to coffee. The brew was hot, and the beans were not sour. The polenta twist was a somewhat fatty dough, reminiscent of a heavy brioche. It came as a little disc of dough with creamy filling on top. The polenta filling was sweet and flavorful, creamy and corn-y, but more filling would have been better. Similarly, the chili pepper and chives listed as ingredients were just for decoration, as they lent no flavor at all. The éclair was a fun mix of a cookie-coated outside and raspberry cream filling, topped with a lemony white cream, raspberries, and some funky gelatinous gel with a hint of rose that gave the illusion of ice cubes that didn’t melt. The whole thing came together really well – the flavors were notable but not overpowering, not too sweet, and not too rich.
Who else was there: A young couple sat at a table together. She wore skinny blue jeans, a tucked-in white t-shirt, and an elaborate black and white head scarf. He wore a black t-shirt and jeans, and red sneakers. Beside them was a black stroller, their baby relaxing inside.
This is their first child. The guy has been in reserves for weeks and weeks, and now he’s finally home, but still on leave before he returns to work. His wife is grateful for the opportunity to go out together and have a leisurely brunch. The small things feel big when life loses its anticipated rhythm.
