Spice level warning — Israeli Salad is not what I expected

I underestimated Israeli Salad. The sweet and tangy description didn't prepare me for the reality. Medjool dates brings a heat or pungency that builds steadily rather than hitting upfront. By halfway through I was sweating but couldn't stop eating.

Israeli cuisine is shaped by Jewish diaspora traditions from across the world fused with local Levantine ingredients. The a Shabbat family dinner setting means locals eat this with ease while visitors like me reach for water. mint lemonade cut through it better than water would have. Don't order the mild version out of caution — the full version is the point. I'd go back. Three stars only because I wasn't warned.