recipe

Restaurant Review by the Phantom Diner

Balloons restaurant

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

Note: The views expressed in this section reflect the Phantom Diner's personal experiences in the restaurants featured.