Jerusalem Gourmet Market

by Husejin D.

Wow! If you like Middle Eastern food, let me just say, this is currently the best in town. I have tried them all, since this is my favorite type of food. My background is Bosniak, which is Bosnian Muslim, so growing up I ate a lot of similar foods. But Bosnian food, although quite delicious, lacks some of the spices and ingredients found in Middle Eastern dishes. I loved Eid celebrations as a kid, because of the cornucopia of food that awaited us after prayers on the first of a three day holiday. Middle Eastern food when well executed is unbeatable. The cuisine draws on many of the same food sources found on other Mediterranean tables, but it is the Arab influence that sets it apart from say Greek, Turkish, or even Moroccan. More precisely, the best Middle Eastern Food I have ever had was made by a Palestinian woman. After her meal I was ready to die. I believe the food served at the Jerusalem Gourmet Market is Palestinian as well. Many of the dishes and techniques are similar. Take away the spartan surroundings and I feel as if I were eating at someones house with the way the food is prepared and served. The Moussaka is not as you would expect if you ordered it at a Greek or Turkish (or even Bosnian) restaurant, but it is delicious none the less. It is more of a casserole served over a bed of yellow rice. Very good. The Kibbeh is choice as is the Kafta. Hummus! OMG! It does not get any better. This is the real thing everybody! The husband and wife team and their son (I think) are very friendly and will remember you after only a couple of visits. The salad is a little plain, but the rest of what they offer makes up for it. There are traditional sweets served as well. I have not tried them, but the date cookies are a personal favorite.

by Meredith D.

Sweet Jesus I love this place. Its a little hole in the wall restaurant with very good, very authentic food. Don't come here looking for an over-decorated, gaudy, typical Austin cafe. It is barren inside and located in a run-down strip mall. This place is about the food and the people who work here. There's also a "market," or shelves on one wall stacked with dusty food (which tastes great if you take it home with you and cook it).And Jaime's right, you can't get their market goods at HEB, but you can at Fiesta. But still, you can't beat their prices. The food is high quality with low prices.

by Erica R.

I was disappointed.  There.  I said it.  I am such a fan of great mediterranean food and was *so* looking forward to eating here - and everything smelled delicious.  But the entire experience just kind of sucked.  The guy must have lost our tickets or something, because it took forever and our entire order came out wrong.  I apparently got a schwarma sandwich, which was stuffed with a ton of iceberg lettuce.  I also got the mixed pickles and they were mushy.  I'll give it another chance though, and hope they surprise me.

by Charles H.

Stopped in for a late snack on a recommendation.  Ordered the gyro, pretty standard for a middle eastern place.  Looked around the extensive grocery items.  Nice gentleman running the store.  Appeared to be his wife doing the cooking.  Very traditional. The wife had her head covered.  The TV was on and showing an Arab version (owner said it was Lebanese TV) of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire".  Gyro was OK.  Good pita bread, lettuce, onion, sauce.  The gyro meat apparently was the same frozen stuff they had in the freezer. Not exactly fresh carved gyro meat, it resembled the SizzleLean that Mom used to make when I was a kid.  Oval shaped, processed, and very thin sliced.  $4.99, not a big deal for a snack.  The dolmas however were delicious and came with a very tasty dipping sauce which was (I'm guessing) yogurt, mint, and sour cream.  Check out the groceries products if you go here.  Especially the dates, candies, olives, and exceptional baklava pastries.  Plan to try the schawarma next time with tabouleh.

by Liz F.

Hmm. I just really can't like this place. Even the gyro place at barton creek mall has fresher gyro meat. I am pretty much sure that he doesn't mix the lamb and beef himself and I didnt see the rotisserie that you would normally shave the meat off of. The dolmas are straight from the can, most likely from the ones sitting on the shelf, served at room temperature. The tzatziki sauce is lacking something, it just tastes like greek yougurt.

by josh c.

this place kicks butt and i like that it's dingy.  it keeps the wimps away.

by Jaime M.

This halal market and restaurant has little in the way of atmosphere but a TV that's always playing a channel in (I believe) Arabic, which can be entertaining. It has a selection of fresh and canned/dried/bottled Middle Eastern goodies you can't find at the H-E-B, that's for sure.I like to go here for reasonably priced falafel wraps at lunch time, and their Arabic coffee is reportedly delicious.It's tucked away in the strip mall with South Oats, next to a Domino's Pizza, but don't let that fool you, it has quality eats! Last time I was there, the owners' family was having an Eid celebration, and their huge spread was totally enviable.

by Karen B.

I like Mediterranean food but I would not call myself a Guru.  I was impressed.

by austin d.

First timer at Jerusalem today for lunch.  I had a huge craving, as I usually do, for some good Mediterranean food.  I heard the gyro meat isn't fresh off the big rotating thing so I got the moussaka.  The warmth of the food was just a tad over room temperature which was disappointing.  But it was pretty good!  I'm used to the layered moussaka that looks more like lasagna.  This came out spread over a thin bed of rice.  It was different but I still liked it.The hummus was runnier than I've been accustomed to and was a little heavy on the tahini, but also farily delicious.They get their pita from Phoenicia so it was pretty solid.

by Jennifer K.

Although a cozy little place with only about eight small 2-person tables, I've never been crowded out (on the two visits I've made here).  Ordering is done at the counter and your food is brought out to you on nice festively-painted plates while you sit in folding chairs at your quick-fold table -- not that you can actually see your plate upon arrival, however, as it's covered in a large mound of rice and meat and vinegary-spicy onion-vegetable garnish and pita bread.  But you'll see it soon enough, as everything is quite tasty.  I had the gyro platter, and the meat was very generously spiced, sliced very thinly and cooked on a grill and was very much non-greasy, which I appreciate.Platters (gyro, kibbeh, falafel, lemon chicken, etc.) run from $7 to $9 and include a side salad (topped with the most vinegary tastebud-ass-kicking dressing in this hemisphere), and pita wraps are a great deal at $4 - $5 each.The thing I like about this place aside from the baffling and intriguing items on the scant store shelves (orange blossom water drink -- INGREDIENTS:  orange blossom water) is the obvious fact that the proprietors care.  My side order of baba ganoush arrived with the paste formed into a shape approximating a flower blossom with (mystery) spice powder sprinkled in strategic locations.  Aww, for me?  Sweet.