Chef Avi Levy’s inspiration for HaMotzi came from his childhood in the Musrara neighborhood in Jerusalem as well as his global travels. HaMotzi offers an authentic culinary approach to traditional North African (specifically, Algerian) cuisine while combining local elements. Some of the restaurant’s iconic dishes include cigars stuffed with sweetbread and asado; pastille, a chicken, almond and saffron pastry; and bullette, a pan of crispy Algerian meatballs with cabbage and steamed onions.The copper pots and antique ovens that adorn the walls and ceiling are actually artifacts collected during Chef levy’s travels as well as from his grandmother’s childhood home. Chef Levy’s mother Miriam is a pillar of the restaurant. She is the official pastry chef and comes in daily to make all of the restaurant’s desserts from scratch.