Jerusalemites get a huge self-service buffet: Meet Mola Botani and Mola Aquarium
What was missing in Jerusalem is exactly what we found in Mola Botani and Mola Aquarium, twin cafe-restaurants that are jumping on the buffet trend and offering worthy (and kosher) breakfasts and lunches in the busy leisure complexes in the capital. What do they eat there and is it worth the pricing?
A buffet is one of the most beloved things during hotel vacations, the star of many events, and a concept that we Israelis simply love. And quite rightly, to be honest. To see all the options spread out before us, to fantasize about quantities of delicious dishes that you can just load up and eat — even if half of it won't actually happen. This love of ours is starting to be seen in more and more places; a buffet instead of a menu has recently become the most current trend.
The Israeli version is not like the buffet restaurants abroad (mostly Asian), where you simply pay a fixed price and load up as much as you want. Here, every dish has its own price: what you load up, you pay for. In days when restaurateurs are struggling with costs, looking for ways to streamline and lower prices, to be attractive and, above all, not to be dependent on employees who are difficult to recruit and even more difficult to retain, it seems that this is a winning concept. Just recently we told you about the impressive buffet of Nomi in Kfar Monash, and now there is news from Jerusalem, where two places with a similar concept operate: Mola Botani, a cafe-restaurant at the entrance to the Botanical Garden, and its younger brother Mola Aquarium, which settled at the entrance to the Israel Aquarium.
Mola Botani
At the entrance to Mola Botani, the older of the two, there is a shaded courtyard and immediately a huge, jaw-dropping space. Shelves are loaded with beautiful dishes, wines, pantry products, and gifts. In the refrigerator, you will find spreads, juices, cups with muesli, cheeses from boutique dairies, cups with cut fruits, and stainless steel bowls covered with plastic wrap with salads waiting just to be mixed (44 NIS).
At the table nearby, pans with individual shakshukas (46 NIS), quiches (54 NIS), red onion tarte tatin (38 NIS), spinach and kashkaval burekas (40 NIS), lasagna (44 NIS), gratin (36 NIS), stainless steel pots with kubaneh (38 NIS), and a huge burekas are waiting. Then you move to a huge table with every dessert and cake you can imagine, including chocolate souffle (38 NIS), carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (48 NIS), banana acai mousse (44 NIS), lime and meringue tart (48 NIS), and much more.
On the other side of the table, there is frittata (28 NIS) and a large selection of sandwiches, from a sandwich on kasten bread with truffle scrambled eggs (44 NIS) to a Tunisian focaccia. They come in bread, in a pretzel, and in a bagel, open like a bruschetta or closed, packed and ready to go. The selection is complemented by pasta salad, morning pastries, and a variety of yeast cakes. The seating area here is also not small. Wonderful execution, though the pricing is a bit high.
Mola Aquarium
Mola Aquarium opened quite recently and is located at the second entrance to the Aquarium (you must enter through the main complex entrance). A huge outdoor seating area is revealed, with dozens of chairs and tables in a shaded but not air-conditioned area. Part of the display is self-service, and part is operated by employees behind a counter.
There are the same salads, muesli, cut fruits, freshly squeezed juices in individual glass bottles, and wine bottles. What is here compared to Mola Botani are khachapuri pastries, cannelloni stuffed with mushrooms (46 NIS), and a selection of pizzas in square pans (28-34 NIS). There is also red and green shakshuka (45-54 NIS), lasagna, quiches, and kubaneh. In another display are bagels waiting to become toast, rugelach, morning pastries, pastry cream cruffin, cinnabons (28 NIS), cupcakes, huge chocolate chip cookies (16 NIS), and a pretzel with jam and butter on the side (22 NIS). Individual desserts in the showcase include crack pie (44 NIS), mascarpone cassata (46 NIS), lemon tart (46 NIS), and more.
In the center of the space stands a large island with small plates featuring seasoned labneh and a slice of challah (22 NIS), a croissant sandwich with truffle scrambled eggs (44 NIS), tzatziki with a slice of challah (22 NIS), focaccias with labneh, za'atar, and leaves (18 NIS), and sandwiches inside focaccia dough with beet and feta (44 NIS). The drink selection includes flavored soda (16 NIS) and hibiscus and lime tea (18 NIS).
Final Thoughts
The first thought that comes to mind after visiting these two wonderful places is how easy and beautiful it can be when you do such a place properly. In both locations, in the middle of August, with crowds of visitors and piles of children, everything runs smoothly. The second thought is regarding the pricing. I didn't really understand the prices of some of the buffet dishes, desserts, cakes, shakshuka, and quiche. Some sandwiches are also relatively expensive. But this is, of course, something that everyone decides for themselves. In terms of idea and execution, these are great solutions for quite challenging leisure spots in Jerusalem.
Mola Botani (in Waze: Mola Botani), Jerusalem Botanical Garden. Sunday–Thursday 08:00–22:00, Friday 08:00–16:00. Kosher.
Mola Aquarium (in Waze: Mola Aquarium), at the second entrance to the Aquarium. Sunday–Thursday 08:30–18:00, Friday 08:30–15:00. Kosher.
