Guli Hagadol, which opened recently in the busy, pedestrian-friendly part of Polanco, is named after its imposing but gregarious owner, a retired general from the Israeli army who loves to cook.

His simple open-air venue, whose tables spill out to the sidewalk, features what these days has come to be known as “Jerusalem cuisine”. It’s really an extensive pan-Middle Eastern and North African menu that includes many dishes familiar to aficionados of Lebanese food, you know, hummus, baba ganoush, stuffed grape leaves, shakshuka, felafel. But there are others less often seen - I’ve never been offered an “Iraqui omelette” stuffed with fried potatoes, or “pargiot” (spicy marinated chicken thighs) anywhere west of the Gaza Strip! Shakshuka, the poached eggs in spicy tomato/pepper sauce found from Alexandria to Tel Aviv tastes like it’s made by a grandma and is as good as it gets. Lamb kebabs are smoky and tender. The small appetizers pictured above that, for $180 accompany the order of a main dish (or cost $360 when ordered alone) are a good deal and great for sharing or taking home. And there are a number of Kosher dishes for those in need, and kosher food that is GOOD is a rarity.

Galileo 31B, Polanco see map
Tel. 55 5264 5737
Sunday - Wednesday 1 - 11 p.m., Thursday - Saturday 1 p.m. - 1 a.m.