When I walked into the opening event of Moulin Doré’s new branch at the Friends of Zion Museum in downtown Jerusalem, I felt a little like a character in the movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
Trays of all the iconic pastries that Moulin Doré offers made me feel like I was in Paris (okay, I’m mixing my metaphors a little) – croissants, brioche, apple and cinnamon Danish, and bite-sized éclairs with either chocolate or caramel on top. Guests at the event were welcome to serve themselves, so there were a lot of very happy people walking around.
Meanwhile, waiters brought trays of savory pastries and finger sandwiches, which included an excellent Brie and balsamic vinegar on toast, and a Tunisian fricassee. There is something about tiny food that somehow just makes it taste better.
The crowd invited to the opening (and quite a few who found a way to sneak in) dug in with gusto as a musician played jazz outside.
'It’s so wonderful to be here in Jerusalem'
I wandered into the courtyard, and I found myself sitting next to Jessica, a strikingly pretty young mother who made aliyah a few years ago. She was invited to the opening because she is a devoted customer of Moulin Doré’s Jerusalem store on Emek Refaim Street, where she buys pastries almost every week for Shabbat.
She lit up when a rabbi affixed a mezuzah to the new restaurant. “It’s so wonderful to be here in Jerusalem,” she said, with tears in her eyes.
The branch at the FOZ Museum is Moulin Doré’s sixth branch, and co-owner Michael Cassar, who speaks with a pronounced French accent, seems almost dizzied by the chain’s success.
“We offer a mix between the Israeli and French tastes,” he said. “We bring a proper French product and offer it to Israelis.”
He noted that the branch at the FOZ Museum has a different menu than the other branches, and patrons can opt to be seated and enjoy a full meal.
Among the offerings are the obviously “low-calorie” (!) gratin dauphinoise (potatoes with bechamel sauce and cheese), as well as sandwiches, pasta, and salads.
They also offer take-away and catering.
Moulin Doré
Address: 14 Rivlin St., Jerusalem
(inside the Friends of Zion Museum)
Tel: (02) 941-4416
Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Kashrut: Jerusalem Rabbinate
The writer was a guest at the opening.