October 2010 revised September 2011
Mul Hayam restaurant offers an excellent dining experience. We recommend it highly. This is a spacious restaurant facing the Mediterranean Sea, just off of Netanya's central promenade. The name, translated as Beside the Sea, suites this restaurant well, as you could not get much closer to the sea and still be on dry land. The proximity to the sea is the Restaurant's primary calling card, till you try the food. Then you will understand why they line up for a seat at this restaurant.
Mul Hayam is a dairy mehadrin restaurant with some of the freshest fish in the country. There is a full dairy menu with pasta, lasagna, calazone, and every dairy dish that you can think of. The restaurant also does fruit shakes and other unique drinks. But there is much more....
We visited Mul Hayam on a hot summer day in late August. Walking over from the street where we parked, I could not wait to get back into the air conditioning. On the way into the restaurant we passed a spacious outdoor seating area that was only spasely populated at 7:30pm
"Let's eat outside" my companion suggested.
"HUMIDITY!" I was thinking, but I agreed to the outdoors on the condition that if it becomes unbearable we go in.
I wouldn't have thought it, but the sea breeze on that hot evening, was cool, fresh and delicious. It was most welcome after two months indoors. Very shortly we developed a great appetite which only increased as we perused the menu.
Mul Hayam has a long dairy menu with a host of breakfasts, pastas, sauces, pizza baked in the taboun oven, quiches and several different types of fish.
Too much information, I decided, and called over the waitress for direction.
Recommended? They have really good fish, we were promised. My companion pointed out the vegetable tempura starter dish, always one of my favorites. So we started with the tempura and then one fish main course and one lasagna. I would try some of his and he some of mine,  and between us we would have plenty to eat. I had spied, at the entrance to the indoor seating area, a counter with fresh fruit in bins that looked like a frozen yogurt display. No, I was told, this was the makings for fruit juices. I'll have one of those, I decided.
While we waited for our dishes we were brought a basket of freshly baked sliced bread, butter, and two runny white cheese dips.
Both dips were quite good, though neither of us could tell the difference between them. Note that a nice modern Netilat Yadayim stand is conveniently located at the entrance to the indoor part of the restaurant.
The platter of tempura vegetables on a bed of fresh lettuce was more than enough for us to share. The vegetables were fresh and crispy and just what you would expect from good vegetable tempura.
"Are you ready for your next course?" we were asked. Though we were not pushed, there was no delay between courses, Later, when we saw the line of people waiting to get into the restaurant, we realized that
it is in the restaurant's best interest to move it along. And it is in our best interest as well.
The fish platter contained two beautifully done fillets on a bed of antipasti. This was served with half a lemon and a non rescript sauce. My companion's lasagna was served in the large oval bowl, where it was baked. No reheated square of frozen lasagna smothered in cheese sauce and cold in the middle. This is the real thing. The lasagna is made fresh every day and is not frozen.
The portion was easily enough for two, especially since both the fish and the lasagna were served with separate bowls of fresh salad.
We were delighted with these dishes which were enticing, tasty and satisfying.
Dessert? Not necessary, but such a nice way to end a delicious dairy meal. The yummy looking cakes come from Ben Ami and a local Netanya bakery. Wanting something lighter we asked for just one scoop of ice cream each. With whipped cream? I wouldn't have thought of it but now that you mention it, sure.
Speaking of this, I asked whether the restaurant made an alcoholic version of those delicious fruit shakes. No, we were told. They hadn't thought of ut but now that we mentioned it, sure.
On Fridays enjoy the all-you-can-eat buffet for NIS 55. Choose from their special menu of eggs, salads, breads and more. Mul Hayam also has a wonderful dessert menu.
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