JERUSALEM — News of eight Chinese tourists spending more than $4,000 at a well-known Israeli hummus restaurant grabbed headlines last week. On Sunday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry launched a search for the group in an attempt to figure out why the tourists were charged so much.
Such hummus restaurants in Israel are generally known for their hearty food and good value. Last week, however, tour operators cried foul after a group of eight Chinese tourists notched up a bill of 16,500 shekels, or $4,390, after an evening at the Abu Ghosh eatery in the small Israeli-Arab village of the same name.
What did they consume to merit such a scandalous tab?
Restaurant owner Jawdat Ibrahim said the charges were fair, listing bottles of expensive alcohol and an entire lamb among the items ordered. He also said that the group asked for a private room, which meant closing down part of the famous establishment on a busy Friday night.
Yossi Fattal, chief executive of the Incoming Tour Operators Association, however, accused Ibrahim of putting one over on the visitors. He said he publicized the bill as a way of shaming those who try to cheat unsuspecting tourists.