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On East Liberty Street sits a vibrant Mediterranean restaurant easily recognizable by the large, glass “JG” sign hanging by the entrance: Jerusalem Garden. Claiming the title for Best Mediterranean Food yet again in this year’s Best of Ann Arbor, the restaurant serves Middle Eastern dishes such as falafel, shawarma and homemade hummus.
Ribhi Ramwali opened the restaurant in 1987 to support his family after he immigrated from Jordan to the United States, according to the restaurant’s website. One of Ribhi Ramwali’s children, Ali Ramwali, is now the restaurant’s owner and head of operations.
Ali Ramwali said he is grateful that the restaurant claimed the title for Best Mediterranean Food this year in an interview with The Michigan Daily.
“It’s good validation, it’s a good measuring stick of how we’re doing,” Ali Ramwali said. “When you’re working, you don’t see the trees through the forest. So it’s a good indication and validation for our efforts in our work and it’s greatly appreciated.”
Ali Ramwali said the restaurant was able to overcome challenges over the years, such as COVID-19 and moving from their previous location on South Fifth Avenue to their current location on E. Liberty Street.
“We’ve gone through COVID, we’ve gone through so many different obstacles and here we are today in 2024 thriving,” Ali Ramwali said. “So it’s a testament to the formula we have and the team that I’m able to assemble.”
Ali Ramwali said the restaurant team’s attention to detail and hard work sets them apart from other restaurants in the area.
“(My staff) pours a lot of effort into what they’re doing, the attention to detail, the pride that we take in our work, the commitment to the job,” Ali Ramwali said. “That’s something that, quite frankly, is hard to maintain. You have to be vigilant, you have to be consistent and you can’t be afraid of hard work.”
Daily News Editor Ji Hoon Choi can be reached at jicho@umich.edu.
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