To Go With Palestinian Child Livers, Bistro Offers Fava Beans, Chianti

Hannibal introduced delicacies such as Tongue à la Nurse, acting with such casualness that her pulse likely never got above 85 in the process.

Tel Aviv, October 18 – At Lecter, an upscale restaurant in downtown Tel Aviv, the wine list alone makes many Israelis salivate, as it features several varietals that local vintners do not produce – especially Chianti, an Italian blend that the restaurant proudly pairs with its signature dish, the liver of a slain Palestinian child, accompanied by fava beans.

The mouth-watering combination began attracting discerning Israeli diners two years ago when Clarice Hannibal took over as chef, and immediately made sweeping changes to the menu. Gone were the standbys the establishment had cultivated in its previous four years, such as Buffalo Bill skin strips and entrees heavily garnished with Chilton. Instead, Hannibal introduced delicacies such as Tongue à la Nurse, acting with such casualness that her pulse likely never got above 85 in the process.

Of course Chef Hannibal kept one of the mainstays of the original menu, the Silent Lamb – but, in her signature ruthless style, sourced the meat more locally than her predecessor, preferring to use only spring lambs stolen from Palestinian shepherds. The change was an instant hit, reinvigorating Lecter’s popularity and placing it once again in the top tier of restaurants in a city already crowded with formidable competition. Her use of illicitly obtained meat – whether the liver of a child or the flesh of a pilfered sheep – has given Lecter an edge in the struggle to stand apart from that crowd, stoking anger among leftists, with which Tel Aviv is similarly crowded, and piquing the curiosity of nearly everyone else, including the food critic from an Egyptian publication who requested anonymity. Either way, Lecter has everyone’s attention.

Lecter’s cachet stems partly from the intentional ambiguity over Chef Hannibal’s methods: does she genuinely believe in the abduction and murder of Palestinian children – and the theft of their organs for sale on the international market – or is the controversial sourcing little more than a ploy to gain the much-needed attention a high-end restaurant needs to thrive? By highlighting the uncertainty, Hannibal has transformed Lecter into a requirement for anyone who claims a desire to experience all the thrills Tel Aviv has to offer.

“The price in Gaza of a Palestinian child’s liver cooked to perfection might be less than a third of what Lecter charges, but ambiance is what makes or breaks this dish,” said noted food critic James Gumm, making slurping noises. “It’s a completely different experience having it put the lotion in the basket in Gaza, where there’s basically no difference between being inside the well and outside of it – and going through the same process on this side of the border, where things are so much more vibrant and meaningful. There’s no joy in giving it the hose again when it stopped caring long ago.” Gumm said he had dined at Lecter’s at least five times, and intended to return.