Lionized by local food critics (and the New York Times) and with prices that cover the airfare for the ingredients in many of its dishes, this cutting-edge seafood restaurant/oyster bar has a name that's a Franco-Hebrew pun: "Mul Yam" in Hebrew means "facing the sea," and also (if you're a Hebrew speaker who knows French) "sea mussels." The moules (mussels) from the pun are rarely on the menu, but a variety of top-quality crustaceans and mollusks are flown in several times a week from distant, chilly seas. Here Tel Aviv's nonkosher elite consume fresh-off-the-plane oysters in an informal place that looks like a small seafood restaurant in Maine or Cape Cod (the decor may be upgraded soon). The kitchen is fantastic and inventive. The appetizers are heavenly: Look for filet of sea bass with crispy gnocchi and pumpkin cream; or crab soup velouté with herbes de Provence, served with peeled shrimp. Main courses on the constantly changing menu might include a dynamite cold lobster salad; pumpkin and ricotta ravioli with shrimp and clams in lobster sauce; or a medley of scallop, scampi, shrimp, and lobster in white wine. Main courses are served with a side dish and brioche. Whole grilled Nova Scotia lobster in herbed butter starts at NIS 220 ($55/£28). A special dessert chef produces light, elegant items to top off your meal. This is Xanadu for those coming to Israel for gourmet seafood.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
