LOS ANGELES — With a name like Jerusalem Chicken, what do you think is the star of the menu?

Owner Sami Othman has a long history in the restaurant industry, but only recently started serving the food of his family.

“This is not something you can buy anywhere. This is not something that someone will take the time to do,” Othman said.

Over the years, Othman expanded to multiple locations of his New Orleans/New York-style deli, aptly named Orleans and York, but now was the time to go back to his Palestinian roots.

“Being in the area for so long, some of our customers have been to our home and a few of them said, ‘We are embarrassed or shy to ask you, but we want some of that chicken you guys make, so why don’t you open a chicken place?’” Othman said.

He was born in Jerusalem, raised in New York, now living in LA with mostly all of these recipes coming from his mom who he says is the real reason for their success.

“She’s known back home as the lady with the golden hands. She always makes things, even at her age, somehow taste better,” Othman said.

They make everything from scratch, the meat is halal, and their spices set them apart from the rest. Othman is proud to serve their Palestinian traditions, which are similar to other Middle Eastern cuisines that only differs slightly with certain flavors and ingredients. Jerusalem Chicken uses a lot of oil and lemon along with their intricate blend of spices including, “Cardamom. You got ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, spicy, onion and garlic.”

The menu is large, but you can make your own platter with the different chicken options and sides like hummus, tabbouleh, garlic spread and more. But Othman is proud of Siti’s chicken, which is his mom’s special recipe that takes a lot of time and care.

“We ice wash [the chicken] and leave them on ice and then we take them and we stuff them underneath the skin with rice that has mushrooms and rib eye beef," Othman said. "I have never tasted anything like this. I think anyone who tastes this will agree, because it is not a common, everyday chicken. It’s in its own category."

But if you don’t eat meat, don’t worry, it’s not all chicken. They serve a lot of roasted veggies. His favorite is the fried tomatoes with garlic, a perfect dip for pita and is traditionally a breakfast food.

“Most Middle Eastern people do like eating things with no meat," Othman said. "Believe it or not, with all this delicious food we have, this is actually my favorite food."

So many delicious, fresh and personal options to choose from at Jerusalem Chicken located at 4448 W Slauson. Los Angeles, CA 90043.