Ima

Ima Review

It's pronounced "ee-mah," means "mom," and is named for Miriam, the owner's Kurdish-Jewish mother, who still cooks some of the excellent traditional Middle Eastern food. In the Nahla'ot neighborhood, opposite Sacher Park, the restaurant has a more diverse clientele than the fast-food diners up the street. The floor plan of the century-old stone house, with its arched doorways and niched windows (what locals call "very Jerusalemite"), create different-size dining areas that create a feeling of intimacy. First courses include a modest but quality meze of some half-dozen salads, such as hummus and baba ghanoush (eggplant dip), as well as the wonderful kibbeh (seasoned ground meat deep fried in a jacket of bulgur wheat) and stuffed grape leaves. The selection of stuffed vegetables is an excellent choice if you're sharing: it's easy to over-order. Try one of the tangy kibbeh soups, full of dumplings—it's almost a meal in itself. Entrées, like shashlik, chicken or a Jerusalem mixed grill, are often accompanied by majadra (rice and lentils).