Please Pass the Babaghanooj

Posted @ Dec. 01 2011 09:09PM by Susan - out-and-about

Vancouver's Jerusalem Cafe offers a change of pace for your palate

Story and photos by Chere Weiss

Take it from a connoisseur of babaghanooj (pronounced "ba-ba-gaw-noosh'), you must visit the Jerusalem Café in Vancouver, Washington. Sliman and Rozet Farran are Arabic Christians who came to America in the mid-90s when two of their sons came to Portland to attend college. (Current co-proprietor Anton Farran is pictured at right.)

Successful in the restaurant business in Israel, the extended family now owns and operates two Jerusalem Café locations: Downtown Vancouver and SE Chkalov. Healthful and affordable, the food is freshly prepared and the service is fast and friendly. You will never feel rushed; when you are ready for your bill you go to the register and pay on the way out. Lamb and chicken rule with savory spices in top sellers Shawarma (you choose chicken, pork, beef or lamb; Lamb Shawarma is pictured here) and Garlic Lemon Chicken. "We use only the freshest ingredients. The foundation for what we make includes fresh vegetables, salads, lemon, olive oil, and we grill or charbroil all of our meats,” says their menu.

A filling hummus or babaghanooj sandwich is only $5.99. The atmosphere at the downtown location is a stark, no nonsense diner vibe, but the suburban location offers a little more ambience with murals on the wall and Middle Eastern music videos or an American Idol type belly dance competition running on the monitors. Don’t miss the baklava which is made from pistachios versus walnuts like in the Greek version. So what is babaghanooj? Used as a dip or in a pita sandwich, the creamy pureed eggplant dish is spelled numerous ways. I used the spelling listed in the Farran brothers' (Jerusalem Cafe proprietors) menu. No matter how you spell it, it’s delicious!

If you go: M-Th 11 – 9, Fri 11-9, Sat 12-9 and (only at the Chkalov location) Sun 12-9. Wine and beer available. Prices range $1.99 - $15.99. Downtown at 106 E Evergreen Blvd, and right off I-205 at 516 SE Chkalov Dr. Suite 45.

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How does Middle Eastern cooking fit into your healthy menu choices?  

Do you eat lamb? Why or why not? Please comment in the space below.

Chere Weiss is one on CRR's on-line writer, to read more about her by clicking HERE