Batshon reinvents himself: The queue for the tastiest crispy fish in Tel Aviv

Toto Batshon is remarkably calm. In half an hour, he will reopen the doors of his successful fish restaurant and shop, Batshon, at 29 Carlebach Street in Tel Aviv, after a week-long closure. The change is dramatic: Batshon has turned the restaurant into a self-service fast-food joint. At 12:05, immediately after opening, the place is bustling. The touch screens intended to replace waitstaff are not yet working, and Batshon is acting as the cashier. But no one is leaving. Dozens are standing in line patiently waiting for their crispy fish sandwich, and the wait is worth it — it is a particularly delightful fast food. The gravlax sandwich was also great.

Batshon (48) is a descendant of one of the most celebrated fishing and fish-trading families in Jaffa. His full name is Tawfiq Batshon, and he has been a fisherman since the age of 16. "I still fish today, a little less now. But I go out to sea at least twice a week," he smiles.

In 2019, he opened his restaurant, which became a resounding success overnight. He offered the best deal in the city: 50 shekels for fish and a side dish. Even when the price rose to 72 shekels, it remained an exceptionally cheap and tasty lunch.

Batshon is his own supplier, which helps him cut costs. However, closing the restaurant for renovations and converting it was a necessary step. "We went through a lot: Corona, war. Prices have risen, but the main reason right now is that it is impossible to find staff. The last year and a half have been really hard; cooks are constantly going to reserve duty. When you don't have hands, you cannot exist. No one wants to work in this anymore, even in Jaffa."

He continues to operate the shop, and the food service is now faster. The menu offers beautiful things: tuna burger, fried shrimp or calamari, fried red mullet, and salad with sea bass fillet. For the adventurous, there is an octopus arm in a bun. But everyone wants the crispy fish — a divine burger made from fish coated like a schnitzel. Great fun for 69 shekels. There is also an addition of black caviar from Italy and cheddar for 89 shekels.

"I'm giving it six months," says Batshon. "If it doesn't work, we'll leave only the shop. People see the queue and think I'm a millionaire. I sell at a low profit margin both in the restaurant and in the shop." In the shop, fish are sold at prices relatively cheap compared to the market: sea bream for 78 shekels, sea bass for 87 shekels, and red mullet for 110 shekels per kilo.

When asked if he ever feels like closing it all, he replies: "If it were just a restaurant without the shop, I would have closed long ago. I know how to buy better and cheaper than anyone else."

Batshon is confident this move was right. "There were five cooks on the line on the first day; there will be three when it gets into the groove. Besides, I saved four waitresses, a shift manager, and a hostess — six people." As for delivery services like Wolt, he is skeptical due to their high commissions.

Batshon, 29 Carlebach, Tel Aviv.

Before the tip: Crispy fish - 69 shekels, Gravlax sandwich - 72.