There’s not much like the old city in Jerusalem. The fact that there’s been a city (almost) continuously operating on (basically) the same spot for millenia combined with the importance to three of the world’s religions is especially compelling when combined with the day-to-dayness of the city. There are portions that are religious in significance, places that are super touristy, and most impactful, quiet spots where people go about their every day lives.
It’s on the edge of one of these touristy spots (the entrance to Jaffa gate) in the oft-overlooked Armenian quarter (the Arab, Jewish, and Christian quarters typically dominate) that you find the Armenian Tavern. It’s basically geared towards tourists but it’s buried, literally. You head down the steps in the ornately decorated restaurant and have some absolutely delicious Lahmejoun. Lahmejoun is basically a thin half pita spread with minced lamb and veggies and seasoned generously. They’re not very large, but they’re super delicious. I could eat a thousand of them.
The chummus, tahina, salad, and kebabs were quite delicious as well.
When I lived in Boston I used to be able to head to the small Armenian district on Mass. Ave. in Somerville and pick up a whole box full of Lahmejoun. It would always be a race to see whether the Lahmejoun would be gone before I made it home. I’ll admit that the Armenian Tavern is special to me because my parents used to take me there when I was a kid. It always seemed so cool heading underground to eat. But as far as I can tell, fond memories or not, the Lahmejoun are still savory, light, and quite tasty.