At Finkels: Good, Healthy Food, Affordable Prices

As war rages, then subsides, between Israel and Iran in light of current issues (nuclear weaponry, spiralling oil prices), we remember our business-pleasure trip to Israel in the mid-1990s. What better way, we thought, to mark that than by celebrating Father’s Day, June 15 this year, at this Mediterranean restaurant owned and managed by an Israeli husband and a Filipina wife?

Finkels is located in a typical neighborhood along San Isidro Street, off Boni Avenue, in Mandaluyong, a pebble’s throw away from City Hall. 

In German, finkel is a nickname for  blacksmith, a derivative of finken, meaning ‘to make sparks.’

Originally designed as an extension of the bakery producing Bait Lehem breads, Finkels carries over 50 different kinds of Mediterranean and West Asian breads.

They have artisan loaves made with olive and rosemary, cereal and oat, cranberry and raisin, dark multigrain, walnut, assorted flatbreads, bagels with cinnamon and raisin, cranberry, blueberry, sesame, garlic, onion.

There’s more: sourdough ciabatta, rosemary focaccia, assorted buns, breads and rolls and appetizing dips such as babaganush, matbucha and hummus.

Finkels is a passion project between Christine Areola and Michael Tweg. It is there where Michael lives up his fantasy of living it up in his home country, sadly now ravaged anew by war.  

For appetizer, we had Complimentary Hummus on Pitabites.

We ordered Mediterranean Nachos, served artfully in a crispy shell of crispy pita chips loaded with melted mozzarella cheese, sour cream, and zesty salsa. The huge serving is good enough for a platoon of hungry soldiers.

The Special Lahmajoun Pizza is topped with sprinkles of minced beef, combined with a savory blend of tomatoes, onions, black olives, and a medley of aromatic herbs and spices, which we finished in a flash.

Came next the Chicken Shashlik, tender chunks of marinated chicken skewered with bell

peppers, onions, and tomatoes before being grilled to smokey perfection.

Beef Shawarma is rich and savory beef marinated in Middle Eastern spices.

What’s good about dining in a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant is the availability of healthy foods with lots of vegetables and herbs. Jose Burdeos, our young chef, prepared a meal that was based on our orders and which we found totally satisfying.

Servings are huge, are priced reasonably compared to other restaurants of a similar nature.

   At Finkels is where one can indulge in food rich in exotic flavors and vibrant spices. Its menu

is a delicious blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fusion cuisine.

    Our meal, of course, was topped by coffee. Mine was a hot café mocha, not too sweet yet quietly, subtly strong. I realized this much later as soon as night fell. We matched this with a lovely Brioche French Toast.

   Finkels started in 2013 when Mike opened a small Mediterranean restaurant that served simple fare like pocket pita and falafel.

Since Filipinos were not too familiar with the menu, Mike persisted and slowly introduced dishes that would meet the taste buds of Filipinos.

He considered one important factor, quality and authenticity.

After only a few months, Finkels’ clientele grew and expanded  until two other sister restaurants, The Olive Tree, followed suit.

You can reach Finkels Mandaluyong at (02) 8350 4898 or Finkels Makati at 63 961 184 6551