AMMAN — “No veal today?” asked a customer, after skimming
Joz Hind’s lunch options for the day. “Buonismo!” yelled another, as he
exchanged a few laughs with the waiters and then sat down to eat.
اضافة اعلان
Joz Hind feels like the kind of place where every customer
is a regular. It is small and inconspicuous, tucked away on a busy
Luweibdeh street that is littered with cafes and restaurants. The facade features several
sidewalk tables enveloped in the shade of two large umbrellas. A glass door in
the back leads to a hidden indoor dining space decorated with geometric tiles.
Italian Chef Luca Lelli, who runs
Joz Hind with his
Jordanian wife Hind, hesitates to call it a restaurant, instead referring to it
as a family-style kitchen and Weibdeh “neighborhood spot.” The kitchen sees
some of the same faces every day, greeting them by name.
Joz Hind does not have a traditional menu that customers can
peruse. Instead, on the pavement sits a large blackboard that lists different
iterations of pasta, meat, and vegetarian options every day.
On the day of my visit, they were serving pasta with
pumpkin, zucchini, and parsley sauce, a pumpkin and lentil dish with steamed
kale and carrots, and grilled chicken with roasted vegetables and kale. In a
break with tradition that surprised customers, they were also offering a
roasted sea bream in an avocado sauce with tomatoes, potatoes, and olives, in
place of the veal. Fresh juice options included watermelon, mango, and lemon.
I opted for the grilled chicken dish, which came in a
flavorful lemon-mustard honey-sauce on a bed of kale and a colorful combination
of carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, and eggplant. The vegetables were perfectly
seasoned and tender-crisp, creating a unique texture that complemented that of
the chicken. Shortly after I started to eat, the waiter returned with a freshly
made chili sauce that he encouraged me to try with both the vegetables and the
chicken.
“We use whatever seasonal ingredients are available to us to
come up with new meals every day,” Lelli explained. The chef does not limit
himself to a fixed menu, but instead looks to the fresh market for daily
inspiration. He emphasized that every dish is “fresh, balanced, and complete,”
consistent with the restaurant’s commitment to healthy and nutritious eating.
Joz Hind also uses locally-sourced organic produce. It works
with farms across the country to acquire essential ingredients like kale,
lemongrass, and olive oil, in addition to fruits like the watermelons and
lemons used in fresh juices. This ensures good quality ingredients while also
giving back to the community and promoting socially-responsible eating.
Customers leave Joz Hind having enjoyed an authentic,
home-cooked meal and a communal ambience that is unmatched. The dining
experience is truly unconventional, made all the more exciting by the
spontaneity of the dishes.
Surely, no two dining experiences at Joz Hind will be the
same.
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