At first, I wasn’t sure that Talpiot needed another grill restaurant, as there are already several well-known steakiyot in the neighborhood. But after an excellent meal at Ofra, I’m convinced it’s a great addition to the Jerusalem dining scene. It opened just two months ago and is already crowded – always a good sign.
I also had an “only in Israel” experience there. Our waiter, Nehorai, whom I recognized from other restaurants in Jerusalem, first covered the table with an array of very fresh salads. Then, before asking us about our main courses, he announced that he wanted to share a dvar Torah (a Torah thought) with us.
“Every Friday night we sing ‘Eshet Chayil’ [a woman of valor] from the book of Proverbs,” he said. “One of the lines is ‘Grace is falsehood, and beauty is vapid; a woman who fears God is the one who shall be praised.’”
He continued, “‘Beauty is vapid.’ I understand that. But what does ‘Grace is falsehood’ mean?” He then connected it with the three mitzvot (commandments) that are unique to women: lighting Shabbat candles; separating challa (a portion of freshly made dough); and observing family purity.
I won’t go into the details of his explanation, and I happen to be studying these issues in my Talmud class this year, but in all my years of restaurant reviews, this is the first time the meal started with a dvar Torah from the waiter.
Great food, fun vibes
Now to the food. The salads were all especially fresh and are included in the price of the main course. They included airy chopped liver and homemade hummus, which often cost extra at other restaurants. They were served with laffa fresh from the tabun oven. If you order only the salads, it costs NIS 70 per person for adults and NIS 35 for children – a great solution for vegetarians.
We also tried the homemade kubbeh (NIS 45) and cigars (NIS 45), which were excellent.
While the restaurant has kosher certification from the Jerusalem Rabbinate, all the meat is chalak/glatt (free of imperfections), and all the chicken is mehadrin (stricter-standard kashrut). I was actually a bit concerned when I heard this, as I have sometimes found chalak meat to be too salty.
Owner Asher Ofra brought us a large platter of meat that included some premium cuts, as well as goose liver, sweetbreads, and lamb chops. All of it was excellent and not too salty, although the goose liver was cooked a little more than I usually like it, perhaps in deference to the ultra-Orthodox customers.
The vibe of the place is really fun, with a nice mixture of families and couples. The tables are spaced far enough apart so that you can actually have a conversation, and the Israeli music wasn’t too loud. One large table near us was having a family celebration. For larger celebrations, there is an events room next door that can host up to 300 guests and is very well designed.
The owner has worked in restaurants and catering for decades and says that seeing people enjoy the meals he offers makes him happy.
Ofra
16 Haparsa, Talpiot
Jerusalem
Sunday-Thursday, noon – 11 p.m.
Tel: 054-488-7031
Kashrut: Jerusalem Rabbinate, although all meat is chalak and chicken is mehadrin
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.