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Jerusalem Grill Mediterranean Restaurant

5360 N. Mesa St.
El Paso, TX
(915) 231-9600

Jerusalem Grill is next to the grocery store

Jerusalem International Foods is a popular Middle Eastern grocery store in west El Paso, and within the same building is Jerusalem Grill, a small Mediterranean style restaurant that demonstrates how all these ingredients can be combined into some delicious delicacies.

It appears that the kitchen preparation is done by members of the family who own the restaurant. This seems to be one of the keys to the success of Jerusalem Grill--in addition to low overhead it assures quality food prepared in the traditional method.

The end result, however, has been hit or miss. The Lentil Soup, normally one of my favorite items, was good but not spectacular. Spanakopita, one of the items on the vegetarian Appetizer Combo, tasted like it had been frozen and then microwaved. I know that many of the ingredients for ethnic food have to be transported, so even if the proper food preparations techniques are used, the food itself may not be the same as is found in the Middle East.

The Falafel, served on the vegetarian combination plate, was closer to tasting fresh than some of the other items at Jerusalem Grill. With greasiness on the low end, this may be the best example of falafel in El Paso. In fact, falafel is generally hard to do at Middle Eastern restaurants throughout the United States (at least based on the experiences I have had), and I thought Jerusalem Grill did a good job.

Hommus was rather average on the flavor scale, but was fresh with good quality olive oil. The texture was good, being neither too thin and runny nor too thick and chunky.

Tabbouli was fresh and nicely spiced. My favorite ones in town are at Su Casa and Mediterranean Restaurant, though.

The vegetarian Grape Leaves seemed to be the best item served on the vegetarian combiation plate. I would even go so far as to say that these are some of the best I have had in a Middle Eastern restaurant.

Jerusalem Grill joins a large group of restaurants that have not found a way to make eggplant palatable to me, with the Baba Ganouj being barely above the level at which I would leave it on the plate uneaten. I am not giving the restaurant "demerits," though for something that I normally do not like.

The menu was incorrect when it stated that "fresh pita" was offered. In fact it tasted like the pita that can be picked up in a package at the grocery store. I have had better experiences on other occasions, but I do not think pita is Jerusalem's strong point.

Chicken shawerma with hommus and salad

Jerusalem Grill joins the majority of El Paso restaurants by having a weak selection of vegetarian items compared to the meat dishes. The preceeding section pretty much exhausts the vegetarian menu, but there is a wide variety of meat items from which to choose, and I have only tried a small sample.

I was told the Chicken Shawerma was one of the more popular items, and I thought it was quite good. According to the literature this is chicken slow roasted on a skewer and topped with spices. I did not ask Jerusalem Grill how they cooked the chicken, but it tasted as if it were a good example of the classic dish. Slow cooked meat is usually a good choice at any restaurant, and Middle Eastern cuisine is no different.

Middle Eastern tea is served (and is available in the grocery store). The restaurant also serves fruit juice, yogurt drinks, and Arabic coffee.

I do not think I have tried the baklava here, but other desserts are also available.

I can see why having to import many of the Middle Eastern vegetables and other basic ingredients could create a problem in terms of freshness of the vegetarian items, while there is a local supply of meat than can be used. In any case, ordering the meat items at Jerusalem Grill seems to result in better quality meals. While this could be a criticism, I think it is something that just has to be accepted in the middle of the desert with few vegetable farms in proximity.

One of my problems with Jerusalem Grill is the limited menu selection--there just is not that much to choose from, especially if you want vegetarian items. Also they do not seem to have mastered the art of giving a complete experience here. For instance, if you order the lentil soup, no pita bread is seved to accompany it. If you order a falafel sandwich you are not offered extra yogurt (as I like on my sandwich).

Still, though, Jerusalem Grill may be the best Middle Easten restaurant in El Paso (excluding Su Casa, which is a Mexican restaurant with about three or four Lebanese items).

Do not overlook the Middle Eastern grocery store next door for an even larger selection of treats than is offered in the restaurant.