Restaurant Spotlight of the Week:

Quite often impressions of the Middle East are summed up by images of heat and sand, pictures of arid landscapes fading into a hazy horizon. While the idea of all that sand conjures up feelings thirst, those parched thoughts seldom manifest themselves in hearty flavorful cuisine.

In fact though, Middle Eastern culture has given birth to a range of delectable dishes and for many people, remains an unmined reservoir of interesting flavors.

The restaurant Jerusalem near Bailey's Crossroads is a good introduction to the vast menu that the culture offers. The options go further than the typical dishes thought of as Middle Eastern. They do offer the traditional couscous, falafel and baklava, but those are just a few of the wide range of dishes that the restaurant serves up fresh daily.

Inconspicuously located off of Route 7 near Bailey's crossroads Jerusalem is part restaurant and part bakery. Inside the clean and simply decorated building is a small dining area and counters heavily laden with Middle Eastern desserts baked on the premises.Behind the counter the menus are displayed with pictures of the dishes, very helpful to those unfamiliar with the food. On the walls throughout the restaurant are photos and publications about Jerusalem and other West Asian locations.

The menu provides some familiar choices and some choices that stretch the taste buds into some interesting new directions.For starters the stuffed grape leaves are a great way to explore a fresh flavor palette. Stuffed with rice and herbs the leaves add a tangy zing to the savory filling. The yogurt served on the side contributes another flavor to the complex appetizers.Homemade soup options include the lentil soup and harirah soup. The harirah soup is a particularly interesting choice. The lentil broth is infused with herbs and vegetables. While lentils are the predominant base for the soup, the flavors rich enough that the lentils don't overwhelm the balance.

The entrée choices can offer a return to familiar dishes or push one further into new experiences. For a safe familiar bet, the rotisserie chicken is a great way to experience some new flavors without too much of a stretch. It is crispy and well roasted with a fascinating blend of herbs. Still, the meat is succulent and it practically melts in the mouth.

Another popular dish is the beef kabob. Served on a bed of rice, the beef is hearty with a reflective flavor that asks to be chewed over languorously. Though the rice appears to be rather plain, it is actually surprisingly zesty and completes the meal.While there are other promising options for main dishes, it would be a crime to leave without sampling the dessert options baked fresh.Both colorful and flavorful the kinafa is a fascinating dessert with a cream cheese base and a stringy pastry top. It looks like carrot cake but has a thicker cream pastry taste. Another excellent choice is the basboosa. A rich honeyed pastry the dessert is decadent without being overly sweet.

A trip to the restaurant Jerusalem is a satisfying excursion into a different set of tastes and with the prompt service will be much quicker and cheaper than going to the actual city.