8 Shevat 5782.
Word of mouth is a very
powerful sales tool, as are quality and service. Thanks to all three, Sushi Mamilla is our new favorite sushi
place.
The adventure started when
our friend and fellow foodie, Arnie Draiman, raved about a new place we hadn’t
heard of in downtown Jerusalem. Since it was in our usual hang-out area, we
knew we needed to give it a try before our latest self-imposed lockdown. (Fie
on thee, COVID! Give us back our normal routines!)
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| Shlomzion HaMalka 4 |
The restaurant was easy to
find, located just across the street from Misrad HaPnim on Shlomzion
HaMalka. There were several couples and small groups already dining outside;
and we were pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a waitress and by the owner, Naftali.
Both took the time to be interested in us as human beings before they seated us
and left us to peruse the menu.
As a brief aside, I will
say that we discovered another new sushi place not long ago that was just
opening. While there appeared to be food available, it was nearly impossible
for us to get attention, and that was without a crowd. When we finally did,
there was no menu in English and no one seemed to have the time for my slow
efforts in Hebrew. I don’t need to have establishments cater to me in English.
This is Israel, after all, and it’s my responsibility to learn the language.
But I do like to be acknowledged. So, that sushi place is history, as far as
we’re concerned. Back to the present...
After pleasant banter with
the masked waitress, whose name was Halla, we placed our order. While waiting,
I checked out the facilities. The single bathroom is clean and well-appointed,
though small (befitting the small restaurant).
Halla brought us a
very-mildly pickled appetizer of cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, and red peppers
with a hint of sesame seeds. Even Coach, famous for avoiding pickles, enjoyed
the dish, much to my surprise.
In a reasonable amount of
time, our beautifully-plated order appeared. I chose the Salmon Poke
Bowl with perfectly sliced and very fresh salmon and avocado, with toothpick-slim
sticks of cucumber and carrots as well as sweet potatoes and other perfectly
prepared vegetables. The dish was topped with a wonderfully colorful crispy
mixture so that I enjoyed a flavor experience from sweet to earthy with plenty
of interesting textures. The dish was served on a bed of white rice. Though I
am not interested in rice these days, the few bites I indulged in were quite
tasty, and just the right consistency.
Coach was in an adventurous
mood, and chose the American Pessi Roll with baked salmon,
peanut butter, carrots, and sweet potato served with a very interesting, tangy
sauce. He was delighted with the combination.
Near the end of our meal,
the owner, Naftali, joined us to ask how we were enjoying the food. (We had
seen him stop by all the tables outside as well.) We talked about the Old
Country, as he came from Long Island two years ago, and we asked a few
questions about the restaurant and the menu. It delighted me that many of his
dishes are named for his children and children-in-law as well as for
grandchildren. Nothing like a love of family to impress the two of us!
Not quite ready to end the
adventure, we decided to try one of Naftali’s recommendations: the Falafel
Sushi. This dish really brought home the restaurant’s tagline: “Where the
Middle East meets the Far East.” There was no loss of taste or texture in the
falafel ball cradled within the rice and tempura outer coating. We were glad we
tried the “dessert.”
Sushi Mamilla has kosher
certification from the Rabanut Yerushalayim, mehadrin min hamehadrin.
All of our encounters with
the staff were pleasant and fun, and as we were leaving, we had one more
surprise. Our “masked bandit,” Halla, photo-bombed us at the door as Coach was
posing with the menu. I really love this place, and I am sure you will, too. We plan to make it a
regular stop on our please-God increasing visits to the Holy City.
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| This gal more than earned her tip! |
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