A little over a year ago, I was sent by In Jerusalem to cover the annual Jerusalem Food Truck Festival (Auto Ochel) at the Armon Hanatziv Promenade, and I wrote about how I was struggling to feel normal amid the conflict with Iran.
This year, I went because... I was struggling to feel normal amid the conflict with Iran.
It really does drive me crazy how fast the night changes.
At this year’s festival, however, the goal wasn’t to “eat my feelings.” This year, I wanted to experience the best the city has to offer.
The festival provides an amazing opportunity for locals and tourists to try new foods from new places without breaking the bank.
As one of many young Israelis with a crippling Wolt addiction, I know all too well how expensive takeout can be these days. Much of the beauty of the festival lies in the fixed pricing: restaurants prepare a special menu with special prices, and nothing costs more than NIS 45.
As it is every year, the promenade is divided into meat and dairy sections, and every truck is kosher. Unlike every year, however, I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and focus on places I’d never tried.
Eating your feelings without breaking the bank
I wasn’t big on the dalgona coffee trend – the whipped, ultra-sweet instant coffee foam that took over social media during the pandemic lockdowns – and I’m not big on it now. So the pareve Alpro Katzuf truck for specialty coffee was a bit of a miss for me, though the caffeine boost was lovely. I picked the Kukikatzuf (NIS 25), which you should absolutely stir vigorously before drinking.
The gentle breeze and setting sun made me drowsy straight out the gate, so even if it wasn’t my favorite, having a drink while looking out at the gorgeous view was a great way to kick off the event.
Next, I headed to the Racheli Ver Nir truck, and the pecan salted butter cheesecake (NIS 40) was truly my winner for the night. I love a sweet and salty combination, and I will definitely be a returning customer.
On the meat side, I’ve actually eaten at almost every place serving this week, but tucked away at the end of the line was FRÄNKCO, and so I snagged one of its Paris-style veal hot dogs (NIS 45), which honestly, probably could’ve fed a family of four. Talk about bang for your buck.
Because I was unfortunately limited by what my own body could safely hold, I made sure to send some proxies to sample more options – special thanks to Omer Shamir and Maya Zanger-Shamir for their notes:
The Palomino fish and chips (NIS 45) had “extremely good” fish, while the chips were “nothing to write home about.”
From Super HaMizrah, the taco asado (NIS 45) was “savir,” so, just fine.
Their favorite was Pitmaster’s pit mix (NIS 45), which was described as “very very very good.”
Hard for things to feel like 'normal' after over 1,000 days of war
After living through over 1,000 days of war, it’s hard to feel like things will ever get back to “normal,” if such a thing ever existed. But as sure as the sun will rise again, the Auto Ochel returns with the summer, and for a brief period, we can enjoy the view with a good bite at a better price.
Maybe that’s the real trick to feeling normal again – not forcing yourself to feel okay, but finding a night out that’s good enough to make you forget you’re trying. The Auto Ochel isn’t just a festival; it’s Jerusalem’s reminder that the best things in this city are still the simple ones: good food, good company, and a sunset over the promenade that doesn’t cost you anything at all.
Monday, July 27 through Thursday, August 20; 6-11 p.m., Jerusalem’s Armon Hanatziv Promenade.