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Recently I had this amazing drink in a "Israeli style bistro" in St Petersburg, Russia. I can't remember the exact name, something beginning with 'J', like Jollo, Jalla or something. It had a really interesting flavour with hints of spices and citrus and it was topped with pistachios, sultanas and pine kernels. It had a delightfully golden brown hue and it was carbonated. Could it be based on an actual traditional Israeli drink? I want to try to make it at home! I already contacted the restaurant but they wouldn't disclose anything about the drink.

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    Jaffa is a type of orange from Israel. Could that have been part of the name?
    – Chris H
    Commented Apr 23, 2019 at 11:52
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    No, I don't think so. I would remember Jaffa. It was something more exotic, with a double l in the middle. Sort of like jollof, but that's apparently an African rice dish. But it's more likely to be identified from the ingredients and attributes I mentioned.
    – sem
    Commented Apr 23, 2019 at 11:58
  • OP is invited to contact me, I'll see if I can arrange some Jallab delivered to them!
    – dotancohen
    Commented Apr 24, 2019 at 11:47
  • with dates, it reminds of Silan... but there are variations without dates (which probably taste fresher).
    – user75265
    Commented Apr 24, 2019 at 21:00
  • This is actually not a traditional Israeli drink. I have never heard of it and I've lived in Israel all my life and I'm quite a foodie. I have heard of Jallab and had it a few times but never in an Israeli restaurant.
    – Benjamin Gruenbaum
    Commented Apr 25, 2019 at 11:31

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What you're describing sounds like jallab. From Will Travel For Food:

Jallab is a very popular drink in the Middle East. It’s made by diluting the syrup made of grape molasses, dates and rose water with water and serving it in a tall glass with crushed ice. It’s always topped with nuts, most of the time pine nuts and golden raisins, because a jallab without nuts is not really a jallab.

There is also a recipe on the linked page.

Also, from Wikipedia:

Jallab (Arabic: جلاب / ALA-LC: jallāb) is a type of fruit syrup popular in the Middle East made from carob, dates, grape molasses and rose water.[1] Jallab is very popular in Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon. It is made mainly of grape molasses, grenadine syrup, and rose water, then smoked with Arabic incense. It is usually sold with crushed ice and floating pine nuts and raisins.

Jallab, the syrup used to make this drink seems to be quite easy to find on the internet. It is also sold in Middle Eastern grocery markets.

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That's most likely Jallab though not a quintessential Israeli drink it is part of the middle eastern cuisine.

Jallab (Arabic: جلاب / ALA-LC: jallāb) is a type of fruit syrup popular in the Middle East made from carob, dates, grape molasses and rose water. Jallab is very popular in Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon. It is made mainly of grape molasses, grenadine syrup, and rose water, then smoked with Arabic incense. It is usually sold with crushed ice and floating pine nuts and raisins.

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