Israeli authenticity meets JW3’s varied fixtures. Why not make it permanent?
Step into JW3 and you’ll notice a subtle but telling detail: the reflective hazard tape running along the bar, marking the boundary between the ‘milky’ kosher café and Kasa’s meat kitchen. For those with Israeli roots, it’s a nostalgic nod to the days when such tape was used for all kinds of official purposes, including adorning the bumpers of cars in Tel Aviv, warning fellow drivers to keep their distance. Here, it serves a different but equally important purpose—ensuring strict kosher separation, but in that instantly recognizable improvised Israeli style.
Kasa’s pop-up is more than just a clever use of space; it’s a culinary bridge between tradition and innovation. Under the watchful eye of Mashgiach Kashrut David Sariel—a young, multilingual professional whose enthusiasm is as evident in his conversation as it is in the food—Kasa has quickly become the talk of the community, especially during Jewish holidays.
JW3 has everything, except a permanent restaurant.
JW3, under the dynamic leadership of Raymond Simonson, has long been celebrated as a linchpin of Jewish culture in London. From lectures and music to crafts and theatre, it’s a place where Jewish life flourishes in all its diversity. Yet, for all its achievements, one thing remains missing: a truly great restaurant.
Kasa’s arrival is changing that. During Chanukah, I went to check it out. I was served pargiyot with hummus, eggplant salad, and matbucha, transporting me back in time, to those to summer nights of my youth in Tel Aviv. During Chol Ha-Moed Pesach, when most kosher restaurants in London shutter their doors (with stalwarts like Sami’s and Tony Page as rare exceptions), Kasa kept the lights on, offering a menu that was both reasonably priced and, by all accounts, magnificent.
Community Buzz and Culinary Delight
Word of Kasa’s excellence has spread quickly. Regulars rave about the quality and value, I would say it is the best pop-up kosher venue I have seen in Europe.
The good news? Kasa is returning this summer, coinciding with the tongue-in-cheek “Hampstead Beach” situated in JW3’s front courtyard, with Kasa there this time throughout July and August. It’s a move that promises to make JW3 not just a hub for Jewish culture, but a genuine destination for kosher food lovers who visit JW3 for its events but have to then go elsewhere for lunch or dinner.
A Call for Permanence
As Kasa’s pop-up continues to delight, why not make it permanent? With its blend of Israeli flair, kosher rigor, and community spirit, Kasa has shown that great kosher dining doesn’t have to be a rare treat, it can be an everyday pleasure.
So here’s hoping that Raymond Simonson and the team at JW3 are listening. Because if the success of Kasa’s pop-up is anything to go by, it could be good for all to have it as a permanent fixture.
Can your Kasa be my Kasa for just a few months more per year? Or maybe permanently? Come on, Raymond, you know it makes sense.
Image credit: Jewish News.