Bobby’s Burger Palace (Washington, DC)

2121 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037

Bobby’s Burger Palace is an upscale chain of upscale, fast food restaurants that features an array of burgers inspired by Chef Bobby Flay. It currently has 17 locations in the US, mostly in the Northeast. This one in downtown DC looks funky and offers a wide range of original burgers, sides and shakes. I get the Dallas Burger and the Undecided, i.e. a combination of two sides. The burger is indeed prepared medium and comes on a nice brioche bun with a heap of “spice crusted” slaw, pickles, and BBQ sauce. While perhaps not the best choice, it is really tasty and well-executed. My “Undecided” are three big onion rings and a batch of French fries, which come with two sauces. The onion rings are crispy but a bit bland, as are the sauces. The fries are pretty good.

VERDICT: 90/100

Good burgers in a funky environment.

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Burgers Bar (Jerusalem, Israel)

HaHavatselet St 1, Jerusalem, Israel

 

Bar Burger is a small burger and sandwich place in a side street of Yafo Street, in downtown Jerusalem. It serves various meat sandwiches, mostly on baguettes.

 

I get a Crispy Schnitzel (ILS 25 or $7), deep fried coated schnitzel in freshly baked baguette with various toppings. I use the toppings too sparsely (lettuce, tomato, spicy paste), but it is still tasty. Coating of schnitzel is bit Asian and meat is juicy, while bread is crispy and light. Could have been better with some nice sauce.

 

VERDICT: 83/100

Nice concept and light fresh baguettes

Moshiko (Jerusalem, Israel)

Ben Yehuda 5, Jerusalem, Israel

 

Mishiko is a very busy, small shawarma and falafel place in downtown Jerusalem that offers those two classics (as well as sabich, schnitzel, humus) in different types and sizes of bread.

 

I get a pita shawarma (ILS 27 or $7.60) which comes in a thick and soft wheat pita with a selection of very fresh and tasty toppings but relatively little meat - moreover, the meat is on top and the toppings on the bottom. The meat is very tender but it has a bit odd taste (it tastes like cumin and curry).

 

VERDICT: 85/100

Fresh and tasty but combination of meat and pita didn’t really work for me.

Joseph Burger & Bar (Jerusalem, Israel)

Agripas St 123, Jerusalem, Israel

 

Joseph Burger & Bar is a small funky burger place with a range of different burger and salad options. They have a lunch menu of burger, drinks and side for ILS 55 (or $15.50), which is pretty good for Israel.

 

I get the Mexican Burger with House Fries. The Mexican Burger is 240gr with jalapeños and “Mexican sauce”. The buns are very big but crusty from the inside and not too doughy or dry. The meat seems a mix of burger and merguez sausage, nice original kick to it, and well rounded with sauces, (but too many) grilled onions and pickles. The House Fries are wrinkly circles with interesting herbs, which are tasty but they have a bit dry aftertaste.

 

VERDICT: 89/100

Good and original burger bar.

La Boca (Jerusalem, Israel)

Queen Shlomziyon St 8, Jerusalem, Israel

 

La Boca is a “Latin Restaurant” in heart of Jerusalem, just off Yaffa Street, and close to the Old City. It caters to tourists and serves an interesting mix of meats, sandwiches (including a burger), and salads. I get the Torta de Bisteck (ILS 69 or $19.50): grilled entrecôte strips with fried onions, mayonnaise, coriander and guacamole. I have it with fries (“chips”). The sandwich is an enormous panini bread, too doughy, with overall well grilled pieces of decent meat on it. It comes with a pepper cream sauce, a sweet mayonnaise and a salsa (only one with real flavor). Bit underwhelming. Fries are prefab and a bit undercooked.

 

VERDICT: 80/100

Sandwich and fries underwhelming, but meats could be good.

Mataam Al-Taj (Jerusalem, Israel)

Arab Quarter of Old City of Jerusalem

 

Mataam Al-Taj (Restaurant of the Crown) is a small restaurant in market of Arab Quarter of Old City of Jerusalem. It serves mostly falafel and humus but also salads and drinks.

 

I get a falafel (ILS 15 or $4.25), which comes in a pita with various salad toppings and tahini and (extra) hot red sauce. The three big falafel balls are fresh and perfect (not too dry, not too mushy). Delicious!

 

VERDICT: 90/100

Some of the best falafel I ever had.

Zisalek (Jerusalem,ISR)

Tif’eret Israel St, Jerusalem, Israel

Zisalek is a chain of modern, US-style ice cream and waffles places in Israel. I visit the one in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, just off the Western Wall. It caters to (American) tourists and serves some 20 flavors, mostly traditional (US) style.

 

I get a cone with two scoops, which is weighed for price (ILS 17 or $4.80). The Pineapple is water-based but a bit dry. The Ferraro Rocher is smooth and tasty.

VERDICT: 81/100

Obviously, this is far too expensive, but it is pretty good.