Palestinian Restaurants Reviews
by the Phantom Diner*
Ramallah City
El-Bireh City
Nablus City
Jerusalem City
Bethlehem City
* The
views expressed in this section reflect the Phantom Diner personal experiences
in the restaurants featured.
Ramallah
City
Kanbata Zaman Cafe - Ramallah
A Quiet
cool place behind iron-bound wood doors, Kan Bata Zaman maintains a sense
of mystery in Ramallah's bustling city center. Its name translates awkwardly
to "Once a shoe store…" raising questions about what this tiny café
is now. It certainly serves good food. Crispy charred chicken wings and
spicy sauce laid out on a bed of lettuce and crumbled cheese; thick vegetable
omelets; baked potatoes stuffed fat with cheeses and mushrooms…
But most
of Kanbata's visitors aren't there for the eats. It's the company that
brings them, the chance to sit in a corner with friends, turn down the
volume a bit and unwind. If you look carefully you will see couples in
half-lit corners, sipping espresso and fresh orange juice, enjoying a presious
private moment. Late at night, there are more titillating drinks to choose
from - cocktails and locally brewed Taybeh beer.
Kanbata
Zaman is one of Ramallah's best options for an eatery with character. Its
menu isn't extensive, but the food is prepared well. The service is usually
adequate, and sometimes even better. Entrees run from $ 5 to $ 8, while
sandwiches cost less. Hours are a flexible 11:00 to 24:00. Avoid the late
afternoon when the café quickly fills with Palestinian teens testing
their limits (unless of course, that is your crowd!).
Location:
On Ramallah's Main street, not far from the main manara
Menu: wide
range of tastes (including vegetarian dishes) with Arabic options Alcohol
served
Phantom Diner
Rating: +++1/2
Rating
Scale:
++++ next
to heaven
+++ a place
to come back to
++ if you're
hungry you'll eat anywhere
+ not a
ghost of a chance
[Back to
up]
Taboon
Restaurant - Ramallah
It is impossible
to visit Palestine without being effected by the political situation -
Israeli checkpoints, the grim mood and a guarded atmosphere can all mar
the trip of the casual tourist. But for those who want to get more involved,
even the eating experience can be made political. Tucked away in the sixth
floor of a dusty Ramallah building is one collective effort to build Palestine
and opportunities for Palestinian women - that has good food, too. Taboon
restaurant is run and staffed entirely by women, serving up the best Palestinian
treats to those who want a home-cooked meal away from home. The menu varies
from day to day - stuffed goat's neck and fish on Fridays, a soft, tasty
chicken or greens over rice or elected baked, stuffed Palestinian meals
on other days. A plate will fuel you, sticking to your ribs for the rest
of your tour. Drinks are simple - coffee, tea or soda - but the picture-window
view of Palestine's rolling hills will refresh you more. Mind you, Taboon
is nothing fancy. Paper placemats do the job. One server works the lunchtime
crowd. And sometimes the rice is a little tough or the meat not quite flavored.
But all the proceeds from your meal - entrees range from $8 to $13, salads
around $3 - will go back into building the Palestinian women's movement.
And that is satisfying.
Location:
Al-Ahliah College Street, Ramallah Menu: Arabic home cooking. No
alcohol served.
Phantom
Diner Rating: ++1/2
Rating
Scale:
++++ next
to heaven
+++ a place
to come back to
++ if you're
hungry you'll eat anywhere
+ not a
ghost of a chance
[Back
to up]
Al-Burj
Restaurant - Jifna Village - Ramallah
Palestine's
archeological treasures are only beginning to be developed. Now you can
dine and admire the vast history of Palestine and its people at the same
time. Al Burj restaurant, located in the tiny West Bank village of Jifna,
is actually the village's old city, with a history extending back hundreds
of years. With international funding, the local youth club has restored
the area, adding bright accents to the attractive stone. Before you eat,
make sure to ask for an English or Arabic tour of the complex's many rooms,
olive presses and ancient ramparts. Climbing up and down the stone-cut
stairs will well-prepare you for a Palestinian meal of salads and grilled
meats. While the menu is not particularly original, the lamb chops are
usually tender and the kebabs well-flavored. The salads are the usual fare
- leafy Greek, garlicky parsley salad, hummous or french fries. Entrees
range from $10 to $12 and arghillas or water pipes are an ideal end of
the meal. Often busy, Al Burj could improve its service quite a bit - but
waiting for your food will give you a good opportunity to take in the view
around you.
Location:
Jifna village center, first right turn Birzeit traveling north.
Menu:
Arabic grill. Alcohol served.
Phantom
Diner Rating: +++
Rating
Scale:
++++ next
to heaven
+++ a place
to come back to
++ if you're
hungry you'll eat anywhere
+ not a
ghost of a chance
Mickey
Mouse Submarine - Ramallah
Palestine
has its share of fast food - falafel and shwarma and sandwich stands can
be found at almost every corner. But what the infrequent visitor never
learns is which of these seemingly look- alike vendors have earned the
admiration of local connoisseurs. There is nothing laughable about Mickey
Mouse submarine; "the best" one frequent visitor calls this Ramallah sandwich
shop. With a substantial reputation for sandwiches on the go, the clean
little eatery has a recent new hit- a thick fish sandwich added to its
menu. Mickey Mouse submarine offers an array of roast beef, cheese, grilled
chicken, turkey and burgers between buns. The cold sandwiches have that
distinctive vinegar and basil flavor of the American sub or hoagie, and
the grilled chicken has a rich charred taste. But the treat not to be missed
is Mickey Mouse's thick fresh fish fillets stuffed into a pita with lemon
slices and lettuce.
While all
of the sandwiches cost less than $ 2, the fish sandwich for NIS 7 is a
delicious steal. Probably the best thing about Mickey Mouse is that you
can count on its kitchen for cleanliness. A small eating area is available
upstairs (with stools at a counter on the ground level) for those who want
to rest their legs. Beverages are the usual cans of soda and juice, but
fresh carrot juice is available for $ 1 for those who want a healthy filling
drink. Service is minimal (this is fast food, after all) but your stomach
will be pleased nevertheless. Location: Directly off Ramallah's main street
going from the Manara (city center) towards the old city of Ramallah, across
the street from the Sound of Music gifts shop. Menu: Sandwiches and soda,
but a change from the regular fare. No alcohol served.
Phantom
Diner Rating: +++1/2
Rating
Scale:
++++ next
to heaven
+++ a place
to come back to
++ if you're
hungry you'll eat anywhere
+ not a
ghost of a chance
[Back
to up]
El-Bireh
City
The Olive Garden - El-Bireh
It has
arrived - Palestine's own Olive Garden Restaurant in the basement of the
Best Eastern Hotel. Or at least almost. Until Ramadan is over, the Gar-
den will be testing the waters with a special iftar feast. Only once the
holiday season has passed will a full menu be available and will diners
get to sample prospectively delicious Italian sweets. Until then, the Garden
is giving things a try. First impressions are favorable. The staff is friendly
and invested in getting the food served quickly and with a smile.
The dining
room is clean and attractive, although a bit chaotic with the jumble of
mirrors and false fauna (while the fare aims at family fine dining, one
feels much of the time that this room really wants to be a pizza parlor).
The menu is simple but substantial, offering an array of soups, salads,
pasta favorites, chicken Parmesan and pizza. You may need to take an Arabic-speaking
interpreter to decipher the misspelled English half of the menu, but you
will find all of the fine ingredients it promises in your meal. The mushroom
soup is clearly from the can, al- though effort has been made to spice
it up with parsley.
A real
Romaine Caesar salad is well- dressed with anchovies and a reasonable sharp
cheese. Pasta is served with fresh-grated Parmesan, making it easy to ignore
an otherwise mediocre bolognaise sause (their creamy white sauce is the
better choice). For the meal, the chicken Parmesan comes tender and smothered
with cheese. It is clear that Ramallah's Olive Garden is only a shadow
of the American chain that it springs from- but that does not mean it isn't
worth the visit. If those real ingredients are maintained and built on
and the atmosphere allowed to make up its mind, the Garden could establish
itself as a very fine eatery. With mid-range prices (about $10 an entree),
it won't hurt your pocket to give it a try.
Location:
In the Best Eastern Hotel on the way to Birzeit village, north of Ramallah
Menu: Italian,
with American variation. No alcohol served.
Phantom
Diner Rating: +++
Rating
Scale:
++++ next
to heaven
+++ a place
to come back to
++ if you're
hungry you'll eat anywhere
+ not a
ghost of a chance
[Back
to up]
Nablus City
Tel il Mara - Nablus
Nablus in
the summer seems as hot as the old- style Palestinian oven; the brown hills
surrounding the busy city bake in the sun. Visitors will be glad to know
that there is relief nearby. Tel il Mara Restaurant sits high above Nablus
and is cooled by breezes that whisk over the area’s olive tree-dotted horizon.
Its two pools - one for children and the other for men - provide entertainment
as patrons wait for the meats brought straight off the grill. If kids splashing
in the sun don’t provide amusement, the other side of the restaurant has
a breathtaking view of the slopes and valley below.
The food at Tel il
Mara is typically Palestinian - a round of salads and a choice of grilled
chicken or lamb. Most patrons won’t even ask for a menu. But when served,
the meat is fragrant with spices and the parsley, tomato and potato salads
have unique twist.
A warning-
the bees find the food delicious and won’t leave you alone between the
hours of two and five. And as is too often the case, the service leaves
quite a bit to be desired. Otherwise, Tel il Mara is the perfect end to
a day spent in the crowded but cheap Nablus market. Location: On Nablus’
northern outskirts. Any taxi can take you there for the five to ten shekel
fare. Menu: strictly Palestinian, including junk food for hungry kids after
a splash No alcohol served.
Phantom
Diner Rating: ++1/2
Rating
Scale:
++++ next
to heaven
+++ a place
to come back to
++ if you're
hungry you'll eat anywhere
+ not a
ghost of a chance
[Back
to up]
Jerusalem
City
Papa Andreas Restaurant - Jerusalem
Old City
Once you
have been swallowed up in Jerusalem's busy Old City, there are a few places
to stop and enjoy the splendor of this stunning and historic town.
That's why
Papa Andreas' Restaurant, with its unobstructed rooftop view of Jerusalem's
most holy sites, has made it big. It is not unusual to see the restaurant's
flat tiled roof full of travelers resting their tired feet under wide umbrellas.
Luckily,
the food is good, too. An Arabic menu has all the usual salads and barbecue
treats- but some-one has paid attention to the details. A plate of ordinary
french fries comes sprinkled with oregano. Lamb cutlets, so easily over-grilled,
are done to perfection. Andreas' chicken kebabs are soft and gently spiced
with paprika.
But what
makes Papa Andreas' a real eating experience is the restaurant's exceptional
service. This may be the only area restaurant whose servers will ask if
all is satisfactory once the food is served. A complaint is greeted with
smiles, a quick correction and another inquiry that all is well. Don't
let the attention shock you.
While the
Phantom has been warned that night visitors may not receive the same fine
treatment as tourists in the bustling daylight hours, there is no beating
the sum experience. Reasonably priced with main dishes from $ 9 - $ 14,
and an indoor buffet for cold evenings, Papa Andreas' is not to be missed!
Location:
Christian Quarter, Dabagha Afteemos market # 64
Menu:
Arabic, with a wonderful original taste Alcohol served.
Phantom
Diner Rating: ++++
Rating
Scale:
++++ next
to heaven
+++ a place
to come back to
++ if you're
hungry you'll eat anywhere
+ not a
ghost of a chance
[Back to
up]
Bethlehem
City
Balloons Restaurant - Bethlehem
The turn of the millenium
is near and the town of Bethlehem is holding it's breathe for the wave
of visitors it hopes to see this Christmas season. One of the town's newer
additions is balloons restaurant, a popular hangout on the main Jerusalem
road. The open-air eatery (with a closed area for winter customers) is
a favorite for families. A box of crayons and the white paper tablecloth
keeps the children busy until the hoe food arrives. Booth seating and scuffed
floors are nothing fancy, but the menu has a wide variety of foods and
sweet treats.
At Balloons, you may
order anything from Italian to Arabic pastries and top it all of with an
ice cream made to order. The wheat crust of an Italian turnover was robust,
but its tomato sauce was missing some crucial Italian flavoring. The Lasagna,
while laden with sauce, was not much better in distinction. There is little
one can do to spoil a banana split, but foreigners should be forewarned
that, in Palestine, ice cream is often more a gooey sherbet than sugar
and cream.
While it would take
many visits to something more exciting than the choices above. The service
at Balloon was better than usual; servers were friendly and fairly prompt.
Unfortunately, the dining area is large and it appears that standards of
cleanliness could be improved in its vicinity. With some attention to detail,
Balloons could be an outstanding family eatery- and one that started with
a great idea.
Location:
Main Bethlehem - Jerusalem Road, after Rachel's tomb
Menu: Mixed
menu, emphasis on children No alcohol served
Phantom
Diner Rating: +1/2
Rating Scale:
++++ next
to heaven
+++ a place
to come back to
++ if you're
hungry you'll eat anywhere
+ not a
ghost of a chance
Mariachi
Restaurant - Bethlehem
Mariachi restaurant
is only open after 6 p.m., but it is worth the wait for its unique dining
experience. While a wide variety of ethnic foods are still not available
to the Palestinian restaurant conneiseur, Mariachi's in Bethlehem offers
nearly authentic Mexican food (a real treat when you have had enough of
felafel). Brightly decorated in sombreros and tapestries, Mariachi's in
the Grand Hotel has a polite and diligent staff that will ease your way
through a Mexican menu with Oriental variations. The complimentary tasty
refried beans and nachos served in an attractive coal-warmed pot also help.
A wide selection of
appetizers includes the traditional quesadillas or a more Arabic mix of
salads. The fried green pepper salad is delicious, as is the guacamole,
and crunchy cheese croutons on a leafy green bed. Any dish that requires
tortillas makes use of the locally available thinly baked Syrian bread,
with a different, although not disastrous, result.
For the main meal,
the diner may choose from chicken or beef or fish (although the seafood
may not always be available). Chicken balls dipped in barbecue sauce are
not so appetizing, but the piping hot "tortillas" served with chicken and
peppers for stuffing hit the spot. Enchiladas, burritos, and chimichangas,
are all available for the Mexican food lover.
At the same time, your
spirits will be warmed by the fast - paced salsa music accompanying your
meal or the alcoholic drink of your choice. The restaurant has a wide range
of mixed drinks, wines, and tequila for those who want the complete south-of-the-
border experience [US border, that is]. Mariachi's is an all-around strong
restaurant. Its service is good, its food is hearty and its atmosphere
pleasant. Appetizers are as little as $2.50, while entrees don't go higher
than $15. Perhaps the selection of good cheeses could be more closely guarded,
or the substitution of breads rethought, but this restaurant is definitely
worth coming back to.
Location: Near
Bethlehem University in the Grand Hotel
Menu: Mexican.
Alcohol served in abundance
Phantom Diner Rating:
+++
Rating Scale:
++++ next to heaven
+++ a place to come
back to
++ if you're hungry
you'll eat anywhere
+ not a ghost of a
chance
[Back
to up]
