2008 Woodie Awards
Food Review: Jerusalem Bakery
Ashley Lindemann
Issue date: 12/5/05 Section: Culture
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1404 Westport Rd.
Situated by itself in a mini-strip mall just slightly off a bustling street, Jerusalem Bakery is one of those places you could drive past daily without ever being cognizant of its existence.
Perhaps it is the fact that their dimly lit sign always gave me the impression they'd already closed for the night, or that, like most people, whenever I crave feta cheese or pita bread I head straight for Jerusalem Café a few blocks further down the street.
In either case, I'd never given the bakery a second glance before.
Instant congratulations is offered to the wary wanderer who dares to step through the glass doors, in the form of delicious smells wafting up from the lengthy, self-serve, all-you-can-eat buffet of Middle Eastern cuisine that fronts the shop.
The buffet ($7.99, includes drink) options runs the gamut of predictable Middle Eastern food choices-Greek salad, hummus, cubes of gyro meat, chicken in a glaze, spicy little balls of cheese and herbed yellow rice.
For those of us that aren't buffet enthusiasts or need food to go, a limited menu behind the counter offers more specific selections like falafel and gyro sandwiches, in addition to items similar to those on the buffet.
My usual dining companion began picking and choosing from the buffet items while I stepped up to order the falafel sandwich ($3.99).
The young man behind the counter paused for a moment, looked down at the buffet and then informed me they were all out of falafel for the night-despite the fact it would be more than an hour before they closed.
My friend pointed out I couldn't very well review a restaurant I couldn't eat at. As falafel was the only vegetarian entrée, we finally decided to just leave.
I explained my food reviewing predicament to the employee.
"Oh," he responded after a moment's pause. "I'll make you some falafel then."
Glad that my self-imposed dietary restrictions didn't get in the way of a potentially great meal, I joined my friend at a table and killed time looking at the nearby shelves of Mediterranean-friendly foodstuffs.
