If you’ve been to Jerusalem any time since 1981, chances are you’ve eaten at Ima, in the Jerusalem stone building at the very bottom of Agrippas Street. If you haven’t been there lately, not much has changed, except that “Ima,” Miriam Binyamin, has retired and her son, Yaron, now runs the place.
Whenever I eat out, I try to order dishes that I (or, to be honest, my favorite husband) don’t make at home. I remember many years ago when one of my sons came home from elementary school and asked if I would make him kubbeh on Friday afternoon, like his friend’s mother does, and I just laughed.
Going back to Ima in Jerusalem
At Ima’s recently, I tried two kinds of kubbe: the Kubbeh Matfunia (NIS 55), a kubbeh soup made with pumpkin, carrot, celery leaves, and Swiss chard; and the Kubbeh Nabulsia (NIS 38), a large fried kubbeh filled with minced beef, pine nuts, and a hint of cinnamon. Both were delicious.
Of course, I had to try the hummus (NIS 32) and the grilled eggplant (NIS 48), which are both great choices if you have a vegetarian diner joining you.
The main courses include all the expected dishes – schnitzel, chicken breast, pargiyot (chicken thighs), meatballs in tomato sauce, lamb kebab, and Jerusalem mixed grill. All range from NIS 105 – NIS 120 and include a side dish. Everything we tried was well cooked and delicious.
There is also a children’s menu offering schnitzel, kebab or pargiyot with fries for NIS 68.
Ima was closed for much of last year because of a fire but reopened in February. A fair amount of its business was tourists, who have not yet returned. Ima also has a special takeout menu for Shabbat, which should be ordered by Wednesday.
https://tabitisrael.co.il/tabit-order?site=5b82923d3954810100794d28&step=menu
- Ima
- 55 HaRav Shmuel Baruch St.
- Tel: (02) 624-6860
- Sun-Thurs. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- Friday 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.
- Kashrut: Jerusalem Rabbinate
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.