Jerusalen Bakery and Restaurant
I woke up Sunday morning (okay, well, early afternoon) with a hankering for empanada's. It's been too long since I'd tasted that delicious little pie at Julia's Empanadas in DC. Steve had heard that a place over by N Street Drive In had cheap empanadas, so off we went.
Long story short, Jerusalen Bakery and Restaurant ended up being much better and much worse than I expected. Better: the empanadas are only 2 for a dollar. Worse: they didn't have any empanadas at the restaurant that day. Better: the bakery in the back actually had empanadas. Worse: they only flavors they had were pineapple and pumpkin.
Steve ordered the chicken tekka, which he found underwhelming: the poor man's version of Ali Baba's Greek chicken.
I got the grilled steak lunch, which was just... nasty.
Considering we went there on a Sunday, we don't feel like we got the real experience and we kind of want to go back. The food was made right in front of us by a very nice woman. They had a cool grocery store and bakery right there as well. Basically, we're looking for someone to redeem this place for us. If you've been there, leave a comment and shed a little light for us.
Long story short, Jerusalen Bakery and Restaurant ended up being much better and much worse than I expected. Better: the empanadas are only 2 for a dollar. Worse: they didn't have any empanadas at the restaurant that day. Better: the bakery in the back actually had empanadas. Worse: they only flavors they had were pineapple and pumpkin.
Steve ordered the chicken tekka, which he found underwhelming: the poor man's version of Ali Baba's Greek chicken.
I got the grilled steak lunch, which was just... nasty.
Considering we went there on a Sunday, we don't feel like we got the real experience and we kind of want to go back. The food was made right in front of us by a very nice woman. They had a cool grocery store and bakery right there as well. Basically, we're looking for someone to redeem this place for us. If you've been there, leave a comment and shed a little light for us.
posted by Anonymous at 7:25 PM
7 Comments:
Great find, I hadn't heard of this place so I'm anxious to try it now. Nice photos too!
Ahhh, I agree that a number of the menu items are mediocre. A weekday afternoon may be your best bet for the empanadas. Those little slices of heaven contain ground beef, potatoes, carrots and green beans. If you go back and catch the guy working there, try striking up a conversation about soccer...
Barbara and I got a serviceable vegetarian meal there, and the price was right. The elements of the meal — pupusas for her, falafel for me — were good, but we agreed there are better outlets for those things closer to our home.
We didn't try the empanadas at the time, though we did resolve to get back there some time to do that.
I tried the basic gyro and wasn't overly impressed. Didn't really touch Ali Baba's or Gourmet Grill. The fries were fried from frozen, but they were okay. The bakery section of the store looked great although I didn't get anything.\
Jamie
I work within walking distance of this place, in fact often park right by it, and I love to go there to get lunch.
And the grocery store has great non-American candy! I brought a bag of pinapple chili powder candies back to work to share. Everyone either loved them or hated them, but no one will ever forget them!
Although I have not eaten at the restaurant itslef, I continue to be impressed by the quality of the bakery. In doing some research on the anthropology of ethnic food, I interviewed a very kind woman there about different Guatemalan foods, specifically the Pastel de Tres Leches (Three Milk Cake). after taking time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions and show me part of the process, she insisted I have a piece and wouldn't let me pay. It was, in my humble opinion, one of the best cakes I've ever had. Since then Ive ordered cakes from them for two occasions, and they were needless to say devoured by my guests. I encourage anyone having a celebration to support local buisness and give this place a try.
The bakery made the best catered wedding cake I've ever had, but my one experience with the restaurant food was very disappointing. I liked the friendly Guatemalan cook and really wanted to like her food, but everything was somewhere between uninspired and just bad. I don't recall what we had, but two of us ordered a variety of items and found them all to be bland and unappetizing. Unless somebody else tells me that things have changed, I won't be going back.
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