Jerusalem: Eating Out

One of the favourite things of mine to do really, really late in the evening, when the Shabbat had started and the delicious Shabbat dinner eaten -ooh, get me that Challah, the special bread for the shabbat – was to go down through the Armenian and the Jewish Quarters to The Kotel – The Western Wall. It was lovely and full of shalom moment to just sit, pray and meditate in peace and quiet there. I preferred the silence and hardly a soul there to the earlier evening when the crowds came before their meal. That said even though I am a very sociable soul in the extreme yet I always do need this time of silence and recuperation out of the maddening crowds. I suppose tis the artistic side of me personality who is hankering for this shalom away from everything…

The photograph, which is taken by me, is one of my very favourite restaurants anywhere in the world; it’s called, Nafoura -The Fountain – and is located off the Jaffa Gate in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Here is a handy map of the whole city of this City of Gold. And here is the link to the GoJerusalem portal with all sorts of great and useful iNFO about the city and its sights, sounds and places.

This is what the World Travel Guide says about the Nafoura and here are all the cities covered by this guide:

“Nafoura Jerusalem Wall Restaurant

Set in an open air courtyard in what was once a parking area for caravans and chariots within the city walls but is now filled with fountains and Roman pillars with traditional Arabic music. There is also a smaller inside seating area. Nafoura offers a calm that is in contrast to the bustling maze of streets outside. The food is Middle Eastern but with Armenian and Greek influences and Lebanese salads and dips.”

Absolutely true and always most welcoming and food is delicious. Other ones of my very favourite places to nibble are the Menora – located in the Jewish Quarter and the Cacao which is the at the Cinematheque Complex on the Hebron Road. The best tables are on the terrace where there is an outstanding view over to the Old City and the Valley of Hinnom. Village Green, in the new city, was the one of the vegetarian restaurants that we favoured with our presence many times as well. We liked their soups and salads in particular and their service is great and efficient yet very friendly.

Then as the cherry on the icing is the King’s Garden Restaurant at the King David Hotel; yep fit for a king, so tis. Here is what the Wikipedia has of the history of the hotel. This is what the hotel’s online site tells about the hotel in question:

“King’s Garden Restaurant

Marvel at the fabled skyline of the Old City. Watch how sunset works its magic, creating the legendary golden city. All this in one remarkable venue – the King David, a Jerusalem landmark and Israel’s most famous and luxurious hotel. The perennial host to world leaders and celebrities and flagship of the Dan Hotels.”

By no means did we spend a fortune in this hotel restaurant even though it is fit for a king as one can with a bit a forward planning eat royally and lavishly without busting the bank. We’d take the salads that were outstanding, washed down by an ice-cold beer like Maccabi or any of the wines that this land of the milk & honey produces such as the Galil Mountain Wines or Yarden wines.

FYI:
The expression ‘a plate of salad’ is unknown as is the ‘a bowl of salad’ in Israel because what we are talking about of that which is dished out to one in an average restaurant – not talking about the King David which of course the most elegant of the hotels – is a bucket of salad that will feed a troupe of giants!!

Tis for now. Riihele xx.