After returning from our tour of Bethlehem, we relaxed and I took a short nap. Before you knew it the sun had set and Shabbat was over. I hadn't made any reservations for dinner on this night. After having the wonderful vegetables during our Shabbat dinner at Mamilla Rooftop; I thought we'd try our luck at a place known for their vegetarian Mediterranean cuisine named Pergamon. So we headed out to see if we could get a table.
We headed down Shamai Street, then crossed Jaffa Street and found the restaurant. And guess what? They had just opened and there were no customers, so we easily got a table!
I started with a "cold one" and the Missus had a glass of wine while we perused the menu.
We started with the Beets with Pistachios. Man, this was good!
The perfectly roasted beets were tender and sweet; the salty-savory-milkiness of the Manchego cheese really balanced the dish out.
The Eggplant was nicely roasted, tender and smoky.
Of course the nutty and slightly bitter tahini is the perfect foil for the eggplant. The pseudo Tabouli and the peanuts finished off the dish nicely.
The Missus loved the Roasted Butternut Squash and Lentils.
I thought the curried tahini and chilies was a really nice addition to the dish.
They key to the dishes for us here was that the sauces and additions really complemented the main focus of each dish without overwhelming the key element. We were really enjoying the vegetables in Jerusalem.
Pergamon Restaurant
Heleni ha-Malka St. 7
Jerusalem, Israel
It was still pretty early when we finished up dinner; so we decided to walk on over to the Old City.
Entering thru the Jaffa Gate we wandered around David Street……
It was quite interesting as we'd pass something we totally expected…..
And then come across something…well totally unexpected in Jerusalem…..
Roll Tide????
After wandering around a bit more, we ended up at the Damascus Gate.
And decided to head back to the apartment.
I went and picked up a couple of bottles of beer on the way back to the apartment and enjoyed a beer while sitting on the balcony.
As I watched the street below, I still was amazed that I was here; having a beer on a porch…..in Jerusalem.
Thanks for stopping by!