David Adahan spent most of his career as an insurance agent. But along with his wife, Brigitte – who is, as he says, “an amazing and special cook” – they decided a few months before the war to open a sandwich bar on Beit Lehem Road. They spent three months remodeling what used to be a picture framing store and were ready to open in early October.
Then happened. But people still need to eat, so they decided to go ahead. “There aren’t a lot of people who open businesses in their 60’s,” he told me on a recent visit.
“But I love interacting with people and seeing them enjoy our food.” On a recent afternoon, he struggled to keep up with the lunch rush as the small shop filled with hungry customers and other orders came in for . The menu, written on a chalkboard, is small, but everything I tried was delicious.
First of all, the shwarma, which you can order in a pita (NIS 54) or a baguette (NIS 58). It is veal entrecôte and each day he puts up a 15-kilo stack of meat on a spit. It’s crispy and delicious, and it often runs out during the day, so if you want shwarma, get there early.
Then there is my personal favorite – corned beef. Brigitte makes the corned beef, which is then heated up in a frying pan whenever it is ordered and served on a fresh sourdough baguette (NIS 59). I was “lunching” with my friend Dorraine Gilbert Weiss, who is always game to try new places.
“This is corned beef like you get in NY,” she said. I agree – although Ben’s Del.
