CUP O JOE

CUP O JOE is a chain of light dairy restaurants all over the place. Aviso: Not all of them are kosher. Down the block from the Dan Panorama hotel in J’lem there is a kosher Cup O Joe (right next door to Olive and Fish, and a couple of spaces from Little Italy restaurant.

Cup O Joe is a good place to go for a light snack or even a light lunch or night time late, light dinner. We go there often because the food is almost always excellent, and the ambiance is just fine. The place seems to attract a heckuva lot of dating couples. Ah, young love! For someone trained in sociology of micro systems (ethnomethodology) the dance of the dating couples is a great thing to watch while enjoying the food.

Motzei Shabbat, we went to Joe’s and we chose a table immediately next to a table of truly beautiful women- two sisters and the daughter of one of them (in Israel to learn for the year). The conversation between the two tables was fascinating, and for a few brief moments, our table of old men felt rejuvenated by the contact. So, to Shelley, Esther and Samantha: thank you for the conversation and good time we shared in the restaurant.

Ah, but what of the food, you ask? The food is uneven, but most people do not seem to mind at all. We have had the same dish on a number of occasions, and the most recent time we had it, we were very disappointed. All the other times we had it, we loved it. (It was the pizza style foccacia.)

Having said that, however, in general the food there is very, very good. The soups are very hearty and tasty, and served in huge bowls with a side serving of bread fingers for either dipping or eating as is. We have never had a bad soup there. We have tried the bean soup, the tomato soup, and the veggie soup. All were excellent.

The pastas are fresh and well made. The fettucini with mushrooms and cream sauce is a taste bud phenom. The pomodorino (tomato sauce and whole cherry tomatoes) is also a winner.

The sandwiches are very tasty, but decidedly weird. We once ordered a bagel sandwich. What we got was essentially a panini. We didn’t mind, but the bread was about as good as bagel from New Mexico (if you catch our drift).

The desserts look unbelievable, and according to Shelley, Esther and Samantha, they were as delish as only a milchiq dessert can be!

The place is boisterous and a bit on the loud side (all those dating couples shouting at each other to be heard!), but the view of the sidewalks outside and all the passersby give the impression of sitting outside at a street level bistro.

All in all, we have found the place to be a tad uneven and inconsistent. Yet, we go there often because by and large the food is really good, the people watching opportunities are excellent and they never rush you out. And, if you are really lucky, you get to sit next to a table of beautiful women.

As we said, we do like eating there, and you probably will, too! Cup O Joe is all over, but, again, not all of them are kosher, so check before you enter.