Abdul Nasser grew up eating his family's homemade hummus, shawarma, and baba ganoush. He now shares his passion for Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine with others at Taste of Jerusalem Cafe, stocking the menu with fresh and healthy recipes based on the comfort foods from his childhood. Toasty pita bread holds everything from crispy falafel to marinated lamb. Chicken and beef kebabs, hand-rolled grape leaves stuffed with seasoned rice, and flaky, rich baklava round out the selection of hearty dishes. The food won Taste of Jerusalem a spot as the Colorado Springs Independent's Best Middle Eastern) pick of 2009.

The dining room is casual but bright, with lipstick-red chairs and booths surrounding the simple wooden tables. The sand-colored walls hold murals that reflect Nasser's Mediterranean heritage, including one of the verdant palm trees and a desert city enclosed by a towering wall, presumably to keep intruders from stealing its falafel.