Jerusalem Halal Meats: A taste of nostalgia

Restaurant: Jerusalem Halal Meats
3330 Hillcroft Street, Houston, Texas 77057
Buffet or a-la-carte: Neither
Date of visit: 2/20/14

Photo Credit: http://jhmeats.com/images/93933452411_0_BG.jpg

Background:

Salam/hey guys! Today I will be reviewing a vintage restaurant. What is a vintage restaurant you ask? Well, a vintage restaurant is a restaurant that has been around or open since I came here from Saudi Arabia in 2006. Examples include Royal Restaurant, Halal Wok, Busy Boy, and Bijan. Today, I am reviewing another one: Jerusalem Halal Meats. I remember passing by this all the time when I would go on Hillcroft Ave. I never really got a chance to try it since I got here. Back in the day, I used to only come here to get khubs (bread) or halal meat whenever I would come from Sugar Land. I wanted to try it at first when I was that age, but my parents said no. Now, 7 years later, I am back in this very store. The time came to try during the day at UH. I had nearly 2 hours to wait until my next class, so I took this time to come here. Thankfully, traffic was not that bad, and within 20 minutes, I arrived at the parking lot.

Let the Experience Begin!

Jerusalem Halal Meats is actually a huge ethnic grocery store. The restaurant itself is located behind the groceries next to the butcher. To the left is the drinks area, the middle is the paying area, and the right is the food options. You have to wait in the line to get the food. Once it was my turn, I was ready to order.

Let's Eat!

I decided to try their Kabsa and their stuffed squash. Kabsa is the Saudi equivalent of biryani. I remember eating it often when I used to live in Saudi Arabia, and it always tasted great! The squash is stuffed with rice and beef. I became a fan of stuffed vegetables ever since I had them in Turkey during my 2012 Spring Break trip. I paid $14.06 for this. There is no waiting time, as the food is given in plates and then to you.

Menu:
Perhaps the most surprising thing is that there is no menu provided. So it's basically fair game! The prices are not even listed, so you must be careful in what you order and how much you order! There are different options everyday, but the one that's common is the shawarma.

Kabsa

Stuffed Squash

The Verdict:

The food was pretty decent for a vintage restaurant. The kabsa was decent and very filling. I just did not like the presence of nuts in the kabsa. The squash, however, was very delicious. The lamb accompaniment was very and the gravy was not too spicy and not too bland. Once you cut the squash, you could see the rice and beef come out. The squash itself was also very tasty. For budget reasons, I did not drink anything. Overall, one thumb up and on side thumb.

The service was nothing to rave or criticize about. I just got my food, ate, and left.

Conclusion:

Jerusalem Halal Meats has some fairly decent food. Even by looking at the other things that they have, you will know that you will have something that tastes good. Just be careful with what you take and how much you take and you will be fine. I'll be back one day.

Grading:

Service: 8/10

Food: 8/10

Waiting Time: N/A

Total: 16/20 = 80 % (B) 

Pricing: $$ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information:

Jerusalem Halal Meats

3330 Hillcroft Street, Houston, Texas 77057

Phone: (713) 784-2525 (grocery); (713) 782-2525

Website: none for restaurant

Facebook: None

Timings: Mon-Sun: 8 AM - 9 PM;

Caters: Yes

Feel free to comment below!

Cheers!

Zain Mohammed