So I am sitting at this cafe steps from the fat man’s Prime Minister’s house and, ironically enough, the Center for Conservative Judaism in Jerusalem. So Danny, the owner of the aptly named restobar runs a swank joint! Great selection of drinks, free wifi, and this coffee drink he brought to Israel from Italy called the Icepresso (which laya is holding up in the pic).
An Icepresso is a shot of espresso served in a champagne glass, chilled to within an inch of its life and shaken till it looks like a pint of Guiness. Laya says it’s yummy and I believe her – I don’t drink coffee. Danny also adds vodka and Kahluah for a cocktail version of this caffeinated pick me up.
You wouldn’t know it by looking but restobar is the site of the former Moment Cafe where 11 people were killed and 54 injured on the 9th of March 2002. All that remains is a stone plaque put up by the municipality that marks the attack and lists the fatalities. Jerusalem is full of these plaques and it is kind of remarkable to see just how many there are and in places which I frequent often. But for the grace of G*d, right?
So I am staying at this apartment in Rehavia and from the balcony I can see the fence. Thanks to the fence and the continued vigilance of the Israeli security services, suicide bombings seem to be a thing of the past and Jerusalem (especially) is coming back to life. People are on the street till all hours, Mikes Place has even opened a Jerusalem branch! I’ll be heading there for a bit tonight to see some Israelis butcher poor Neil Young, spelt Kneel Jung. Oy. Haven’t the Canucks suffered enough?
restobar cafe is at 1 Ben Maimon Rambam street (across the street from the Prime Minister’s residence, around the corner from the Kings Hotel). They can be reached by phone at 02-5665126. Tell Danny Jewlicious sent ya!
Damn, I’m jealous of you getting to hang out there. On my last visit we rented an apartment in Rehavia. By the way, if you get a chance, you should go to the Conservative Center and hang out a bit. I don’t know whether Rabbi Feder (don’t know first name) is still involved, but he’s Canadian and a serious chacham, I’m sure he can tell ya a thing or two about Conservative Judaism, its failings and successes.
“All that remains is a stone plaque put up by the municipality that marks the attack and lists the fatalities”…. there was a time when an attack like this would have brought an outcry from the public and swift strong response. Now Israel is dotted with memorials like this and hardly anyone flinches. The rest of the world doesn’t care, their more concerned with placating to a morally corrupt and vile PA leadership, that done next to nothing to stop this. Whats even more depressing are the apologists JEws out there who rationalize the actions of these bombers is related to Israel’s “occupation”. Well get used to these quaint little reminders of blown apart people, because some of you actually beleive things will improve, based on what, I have no idea. The withdrawal will just get them a little closer to better targets.. oh yea that coffee drink sounds delicious
i lived in rechaviya last year. i always passed by that bar/cafe. there was this little white dog in the front of it. i took a buncha pics of him and the security guard.
meanwhile, the people behind Kneel Jung are none other than the legendary Shlomo Katz and his band, probably the best jewish musician ever since that other Shlomo was nifter. and mike’s place was originally a jerusalem thing, the tel aviv location was a chiddush… unless you were being sarcastic there, and if so… joke’s on me!
Shiksa, he posted his phone number here yesterday. Just dial: 011-972-54-210-2476 (that’s international from the US, I don’t know if 011 dials international from Canada).
Thanks for the tip, themiddle. I’ll give that a try tomorrow.
Mike’s Place originated in Jerusalem, and by now has moved 4 locatins, all within the same general downtown area.
Just thought I’d let you know.
man, i can’t wait to get home. sunday! sunday! sunday! funny cars!
hott shitt gettin’ back to eretz hakodesh on my birfday (sunday). couldn’t ask for a better gift…
OK this is totally unrelated I went to see Mr and Mrs Smith about half way through the film Jon (Brad Pitt) and Jane(Angelina Jolie) Are taking stabs at eachother revealing their dirty little secrets Jon says he had a previous marriage and Jane Proclaims she is Jewish, this dark revelation was accompanied by a not so subtle “Oooooh”(the kind of Ooooh when someone says something really bad) from some people in the audience. I thought it was funny but also felt a little strange, would it of been funny if she said she was a Buddist or a Muslim?
Feed back anyone?
It is probably a response(s) from a low life Jew hater.
I think it’s an attempt at humor. Not a good one, but nothing meaningful.
Hey middle, thanks for that reference over there on that other web site, “that guy”. So my existence as a poster, on this web site, is a “problem”, isn’t that her job to get over herself?
You are feeding her sloppy sickness.
Jobber, have a shabbat shalom.
My mouth is watering thinking about the place and the Iced coffee!
I like that shirt you have on the displayed on the side.
This coffee beverage sounds quite lovely. And I’m sure this place is beautiful. But do they have an oracle?
Glad to see you are having a good time in Israel in my hold hang out. I grew up and lived down the street from what used to be Moment Cafe for much of my life. Its a great area. All the best
Jonathan (ICE.com)
PS – enjoy this area, changes everytime I visit within 10 years it won’t exist as a secular area anymore.!