However you look at it, or sample it, Arab-Palestinian-Israeli cuisine is one of the most authentic cuisines to be found in Israel. It is the product of diverse past empires and cultures, dating as far back as the Persian Empire and through the Ottoman Empire, with the Lebanese and Syrians leaving their marks along the way. This cuisine was strongly influenced by the long series of conquerors who occupied the Holy Land, taking bits from every era. Thus, for instance, stuffed dishes so popular locally can be traced to stuffed vine leaves from Turkish cuisine. This is also the source of filled dumplings and kanafeh. At the same time, well-liked mutton dishes originated in neighboring Arab lands. Each recipe and dish embodies the history of the people who feasted on it in some other period or another.
In northern Israel, an unsightly concrete structure dominates the view at the derelict Migdal junction, a few hundred yards from the Sea of Galilee. This huge shopping mall is surrounded by a vast asphalt parking lot designed to accommodate hundreds of cars. In drafting the blueprint, someone apparently thought that the area would be an ideal site to establish yet another commercial center, but standing there, at the foot of the mountains and so close to the Sea of Galilee, it seems nothing less than a crime. On the third floor of the building, however, overlooking the sea, is the Magdalena Restaurant, a fancy, chef-run establishment in every respect.
