Across from the new Silver Spring fire station on the southern end of town is a calm, cool oasis of fantastic Middle Eastern food in a dining room fit for kings — but without a price tag requiring royal-style wealth. Whereas so many Middle Eastern and kabob places around the D.C. area are severely lacking in anything resembling décor, Taste of Jerusalem makes you feel as if you have been swept into another land, where all that is required is a choice of easing into a burgandy banquette along one wall or settling into some sumptuous silk pillows on an inviting bench against the other wall.

Order a classic mezza from the mezza menu and you will not be sorry. The smooth hummus is perfectly balanced among lemon, garlic and tahineh — and just $4.95. The kibbeh, fried pillows of cracked wheat stuffed with ground lamb and pine nuts, were served with a cool cucumber-tinged yogurt and without a trace of grease. The fool swam in garlicky good oil that made us want to slurp up the luscious little beans as if it were a soup. The soft homemade cheese known as lebneh was somewhere between whipped cream and sour cream, with olive oil and parsley sprinkled on top, not like the leaden stuff you can buy at the supermarket.

Call DCist spoiled by Jose Andres’ creations at Zaytinya, but we love warm, poofy breads sent to our table straight out of the oven. And though Taste’s pita bread didn’t reach our table warm, the accompanying mezza were so outstanding that we hardly noticed.