J Nassar,

Although I myself, am as well traveled as you sir, I have to disagree with you on this one. Firstly, the owner is straight from Lebanon as well as his kitchen staff. His head cook and his new pastry chef as well, from Lebanon. Thier recipies are not a knock off but from thier homeland of Lebanon, which if you're well traveled you would know id quite different than that of "Jerusalem" and they would be the one's knocking off these recipies. I dont know if you ate here since the beginning of thier opening but a lot has changed and they continue to make positive changes after criticims to do thier best to accomendate what would make it better. I might try to revisit there, you may eat your words. I've never once ate anything from there that didn't far exceed mediocre and I would hate for someone to read your review and not want to at least give it try. Afterall, WESTWORD gave them the review so they must bedoing sonmething right.

Sorry to say but unfortunately it might be the best middle eastern in Denver, but compared to SoCal and DC it's not even eligible for printing on a list of places you can eat at and kinda sorta get middle eastern food. I've lived on both coasts and in 7 middle eastern countries and visited 4 others and NO PLACE in Denver is even a half-way respectable joint by those standards. I would change your category to best *passably mid east rest. Basically this place is just another Jerusalme graduate, though the owner never actually worked there, he just basically copied their production. I don't know one single ME rest. owner in this town who is actually a trained chef or passionate about food. They all, without exception, do it for a business. Just one thing to notice, at every one of these restaurants, count how many middle easterners you see. You'll be lucky to get more than a handful, and Jerusalem at 2 am doesn't count because there are no other options. It ain't so in other cities, and when the natives don't patronize a place that tells you something big time. The sad state of ME food in Denver is that natives don't eat at even a single one of these restaurants regularly, nor do they recommend them. Better off finding yourself a friend from there and begging a meal.