The Lull Before
Carrot cake and coffees
Place: Moishe Café Basedeh, Kibbutz Lavi
When: Monday, mid-afternoon
Environment: This food truck is planted on the edge of the kibbutz, among some old buildings, beside a discarded boat and other obsolete antiques. But it is at the edge of a lot overlooking green fields, mountains, and a horse stable. Music plays over speakers. On my visit it was sunny, but there was a cold wind. Seating is (obviously) outside, at a mix of picnic tables and big wooden spools that serve as tables. Metal cans with cyclamens in them serve as centerpieces – and merchandise. A large eucalyptus tree in the center anchors the space. The setup is on gravel, so thankfully there isn’t a mud issue, even mid-winter. It was very quiet upon arrival: There were no other patrons there. But it might have been just an awkward lull, since others soon showed up.
My Order: Pizza (NIS 42); sabich sandwich (NIS 40); carrot cake (NIS 32? 35?); cappuccino (NIS 12); Americano (NIS 14).
The low-down: Well, the pizza exceeded expectations. Its crust was soft with a bit of crunch in places. The sauce was light and plentiful. The cheese was springy. The sabich was served in focaccia; it had the requisite egg and eggplant, and was completed by fresh lettuce and tomatoes. Overall, it was a good sandwich, but could have stood a better grade of tehina. And on the coffee front: The cappuccino was way better than it looked, boasting a nice coffee flavor. The Americano was good. Meanwhile, the carrot cake was huge. It was heavier on the frosting than cake, which was a bit of a shame, to my taste. It had discernable cinnamon and walnuts. It might not have been super fresh, but it was still pretty good. It’s worth noting that the menu also had a vegan section and gluten-free section.
Who else was there: A couple got out of a large van - he in a white sweatshirt, jeans, and sunglasses, and she in jeans and a pleather jacket, with long straightened hair. They left the van running and ordered coffee to go.
He works as a minibus driver, picking up and dropping off kids for school every day. He has a fairly long break midday every day, while schools are in session. On this sunny day, he and his wife decided to get some errands done during his free time. Since they were planning on buying some large items, they opted to take the minibus. After making their rounds, they decided they needed a quick cup of coffee before he had to go pick up the kids and take them all home, and a coffee cart is as good a place as any.
