Netflix celebrity chef Nick Liberato announced Thursday the opening of his new restaurant in Stockton, New Jersey, which aims to bring back the classic New York-style delicacies and the traditional Jewish American cuisine with a contemporary gourmet twist.

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Founded in partnership with culinary entrepreneurs Mike Dalewitz and Steve Lau, The Borscht Belt Delicatessen is "a love letter to the Jewish deli."

Key menu offerings will include various platters with fresh lox, meats, spreads, daily fresh bagels and baked goods, pickles, Bubby Bell's Matzo Ball soup, Borscht Beet salad, and piled-high pastrami sandwiches fresh from their custom-built pastrami machine made in New York.

The idea was inspired by Dalewitz's childhood in the Borscht Belt region of New York's Catskills Mountains.

"The Borscht Belt Delicatessen represents everything my family, along with many other Jewish families, loved about their summers in the Catskills: community, family, celebrations, entertainment, and unbeatable NY-style Jewish cuisine," he said.

"Our idea with The Borscht Belt is to resurrect those memories while paying homage to both Jewish culture and all the iconic New York delis and bagel shops we've always loved."

Liberato expressed excitement "to provide this community with some of my favorite 'old-school' delicatessen and appetizing favorites, and introduce my own contemporary ways of enjoying this cuisine inspired by my cultural experiences and travels."

To celebrate the grand opening, which is scheduled for June 19, the restaurant is donating a percentage of their first month's profits to Leket Israel, Israel's National Food Bank, to deliver nutritious foods to Israelis in need.

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Believe it or not, you can have a restaurant-like experience without going out of you way. A little effort goes a long way in terms of creating an elegant, exotic, and exciting meal in the comfort of your own kitchen, and a recent collaboration between Israeli company Natural Intelligence and the "Top 10" website, has come up with 10 easy ways that will transform your entire meal experience from drab to fab.

1: Clean up

This may seem obvious, but it's worth saying. You'll never walk into a messy restaurant, and while there's no need to spend three hours scrubbing down the house, taking a few minutes to tidy up the dining area can make a world of difference. Create an atmosphere where you'd want to sit down and spend a few enjoyable hours with someone you love.

2: Set the mood

Another aspect of restaurant dining is the ambiance. You don't have to have fine china and silver cutlery to feel like you're at an upscale restaurant – all it takes is a little attention to details: Use a pretty tablecloth or runner; put flowers on the table; set the table to amp up the elegance; perhaps choose a color scheme to be a conversation starter. It's amazing what a few small details can do for the experience.

3: Have menus

Part of the fun of going to a restaurant is perusing the menu and looking at all the scrumptious options. Other than the whimsical aspect of having a list of options to choose from while dining in, creating a menu will prove a time-saver when you shop for and prepare your meal as it will help you have everything you need beforehand. Moreover, the menu's design can play into your desired restaurant style.

4: Play music

Adding music really enhances the entire dining experience. Prepare an enjoyable playlist to play in the background. This can be fast and loud, slow and romantic – whatever you want to set the tone. If this is a special occasion, you can include songs that have sentimental meaning to you and your dining partner.

5: Let there be light

Ever notice how different restaurants have different types of lighting to set the mood? Why not do the same? Light some candles, use a fireplace of you have one – or look up a fireplace video on YouTube to create a more romantic, rustic atmosphere or, if you prefer, light up the night with some bright lights for a more vibrant, upbeat feel to the meal.

6: Break bread

One of the quiet little pleasures of eating out is having a breadbasket and dips to dip into throughout the meal. Make your own or buy a fresh loaf, slice it up, and serve warm bread for an easy and delicious meal enhancer.

7: Start with a drink

There's something luxurious about sitting back with a flavorful drink in your hand while you dine. Whether it's wine, a cocktail, beer or even a soft drink, kicking off the meal with a drink definitely adds more appeal to a meal and the entire evening.

8: Presentation is everything

If the era of cooking competitions and Instagram has taught us anything, is that you eat with your eyes first, and to be honest, when you go out to a restaurant, the way your food looks takes care of 90% of the experience. But you don't necessarily have to take a course to spice up your presentation skills: Choose attractive plates to serve on and don't be afraid to mix and match shapes; don't overcrowd the plate; think about colors and contrast and add some fresh greens or brightly-colored fruits to really give your plate a color punch.

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9: Get saucy!

Liquids actually play a major role in plate presentation, so learn from the experts: Place moist ingredients – sauce, coulis, or a puree – as the base of the dish then serve the drier food on top of it. It's also nice to use some sauce or other liquid for a color pop on the plate. Use a squeeze bottle to make pretty designs on, under, and around your food.

10: Just desserts

Lastly, everyone knows that the best way to end a restaurant experience is with a decadent dessert. Whether it's chocolate souffle, sorbet and fruit, or a light meringue, desserts are usually the dish by which you remember your experience, so don't skimp on this luxurious extra when dining in. Whether you buy something delectable from the bakery or whip something up yourself, there are plenty of options out there to round off the perfect at-home experience ending the evening with a sweet treat that will leave a sweet taste in your mouth and your heart.

So, don't be afraid to experiment with the food in the kitchen and the design of the dining area. You just might find that creating an indoors eating experience is just – if not more – fun than going out!

The post Corona cramping your dining style? Time to revive the restaurant vibe at home appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Cereal bars have become an international hit in recent years, serving the beloved breakfast basic in a number of ways: in a bowl with milk, or mixed with ice cream or yogurt. In addition to being tasty and toothsome, one of the advantages of cereal is that it is also photogenic, meaning that these places attract serial social media snappers.

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Lulu&Co., located at 37 Rothschild Blvd. a stone's throw away from another local hotspot for foodies with a hankering for sweets, Lior Koka's boutique cafè, started service on Monday. The menu includes a number of dishes based on high-quality raw ingredients, alongside the familiar boxed cereal options.

Video: Moshe Ben Simhon

The eatery imported a special machine from New York that mixes cereal with Italian ice cream. It also serves handmade ice cream/cereal bars, in flavors such as cornflakes with milk, Cheerios, and the Israeli versions of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and sweet shredded wheat.

More health-conscious customers can order low-fat frozen yogurt served with Fitness fruit-and-flakes.

Lulu & Co., 37 Rothschild Blvd.

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 12- 2 a.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to the start of Shabbat. Open Saturday evenings starting an hour after Shabbat.

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