Mul-Yam (Tel Aviv) 12/2011

Mul Yam translates as over or perhaps across the sea which is appropriate for this restaurant in a hangar in the old port of Tel Aviv. It is renowned as perhaps the finest restaurant in Israel and recognized as one of the beat 120 restaurants in the world by Les Grande Tables du Monde. You don't get here by accident so every one expects quality in every aspect of the place. With that in mind the restaurant does not disappoint. It is a more sophisticated space than any other restaurant we have been to so far.
Elegantly set tables with white linen, good quality cutlery, good spacing and comfortable cane backed chairs. This is a sea food restaurant and far from kosher, offering crab and lobster. The meal began with a serve of sea snails in a cute container with picks stuck into a silver paper covered cork. They were very plain, bland and chewy. Interesting but unappealing start. Sandra had a crab and prawn ravioli in a white cream sauce for entree which was well made with great flavourwhilst I began with a crab veloute witch had been turned into a foam. This was very rich. Rather than a substantial plate of it I would have preferred a small cup. I found it both excellent and overwhelming. For mains we both chose lobster. It came removed from the shell,in a veloute sauce with endive and sat on a large snow mushroom making it effortless to eat, also with a rich creamy dressing and a porchini flavoured foam topping. They are renowned for their signature dessert 'Tiffany Egg' Oops, not that one! This gold leaf topped sphere of pink sugar contains a mixture of red berries with cream and ice cream. Both attractive and appealing. Sandra had their 'Feather' a slender chocolate feather beside a chocolate tower of chocolate mousse. A very rich meal where everything was of the very best quality. We also had a bottle of Israeli wine. We have been constantly surprised and delighted with numerous Israeli wines here. This was the most expensive restaurant that we have been to in Israel but by international standards it is not expensive. The bill came to a little less than A$400.
Score: 17/20