Everything’s (Going to be) Fine
Toasted Emmental sandwich
Place: Nadi, Hillel St., Jerusalem
When: Monday, late morning
Environment: Crowded and noisy, lots of big brunch outings, friendly staff. The tables outside on the sidewalk were full too.
My order: A small, low-fat cappuccino (NIS 14), and toasted Emmental sandwich with hard-boiled egg, artichoke spread and onion (NIS 58)
The low-down: I sat on the bar (presumably the staff didn’t want to “waste” a whole table on one person). My coffee came fairly quickly, with a pretty design in the velvety foam. The coffee, however, was not piping hot. The portion size of the toasted sandwich was generous: four triangles. The Emmental cheese in the sandwich was stretchy and melty, and there was good artichoke flavor from the spread inside. But oddly enough, the red onion was the most dominant flavor. The bread was a bit dry, and could have done with something a bit wetter to help wash it down – maybe a tomato. The sandwich came with an array of large cut vegetables (in lieu of salad) dotted with fresh thyme. It was a nice twist, though I probably would have preferred a dressed salad. Nadi is incredibly popular and has a very good reputation; after multiple visits, I have yet to understand why.
Who else was there: An older couple came in, presumably in their 70s. She bore gray, close-cropped hair. He was bald, with a rectangular bandage on the crown of his bare head. The man was wearing a blue oxford shirt and a black jacket on top. She wore a faintly plaid black shirt, with a brownish-purplish jacket over it.
I imagine that they came out for hot drinks after a follow-up visit to the doctor: He had had a cancerous mole removed from the top of his head. They were being brave, exhibiting the quiet comfort that comes after decades together. Of course they had bumps along the way. But they raised their three children. The kids are grown now, and their grandson is fighting in the war in Gaza. They worry about those battles, and they also worry about the husband’s health. They don’t say much at the table. One by one, body parts start to fail. They made it through Covid, but there’s always something else. She worries about taking care of him. He’s good – he watches his salt, his fat, his sugar. But who saw scalp cancer coming? Maybe he should have worn a hat more, avoided sun exposure. After removing the mole, the cancer is probably gone. They’re still waiting for results. But it’s scary – the beginning of the end. The couple didn’t stay long at the café. It was just enough time to order and finish their drinks. They need to be cautious not to engage in too much activity in a day. He had to go home to rest. She needed to make some calls to the kids. They slowly made their way to the door, and the bus stop beyond.
