Who doesn’t love Middle Eastern food, in all its many national incarnations? They are all wonderful, but the restaurant Jolia has found ways to make them even more exciting with new combinations and ingredients.
I went there with a friend on the hottest evening of the year to date (37° C/98.6 F). Most of the restaurants I passed on the way were nearly empty, but not Jolia, which was filled to the brim inside (not air-conditioned) and out, on the sidewalk and the temporary summer terrace. We chose a table outdoors, even though it meant sitting next to passing traffic, including no fewer than four garbage trucks picking up the day’s refuse. That part was not pleasant, but we were glad we had chosen the terrace when we went to pay later and saw how hot and noisy it was inside.
Foodwise, this is a great restaurant for a light meal on a hot night. The menu is a bit confusing, with “Rip & Dip” offerings (presumably starters) and shareable plates, but there didn’t seem to be much difference in size between the two categories. There were also two family-sized dishes: shakshuka for four to six people and lamb shoulder for four.
Note that if you want bread here – and we did – you have to pay for it. Most French restaurant provide bread free of charge, but they are not obliged to. It’s worth paying here for the delicious soft, warm house-made pita that is perfect for sopping up the delightful sauces on the dishes. If you want to get fancy, order the Malka bread, the same pita with olive oil, house-made dukkah (a mixture of herbs, nuts and spices) butter, tahini and zhoug (a hot sauce). Sounds like a meal in itself. I will try it next time.
I started off with the grilled (in a Mibrasa charcoal oven) zucchini with turmeric aioli. Sprinkled on top were tabbouleh; fried chickpeas (do try this at home for a wonderful, crunchy addition to almost any dish and a great substitute for croutons); pomegranate molasses; big, flavorful flat parsley leaves; and fresh mint. All in all, a superb combination of flavors and textures.
On the other side of the table, Ivanka was enjoying her grilled leeks with a sauce of labneh (strained yogurt) and feta cheese with spices, and a salad of spring onions and parsley.
For my “main course,” I had another marvelous mashup of flavors and textures: eggplant carpaccio, tahini, feta cheese, date molasses, pistachios and Iranian rose petals. The flavor of those rose petals really came through, and the combination of sweet, salty and flowery flavors was perfectly balanced. The pita bread once again proved itself a necessity and a blessing here.
Ivanka opted for the dorade royale (gilthead bream) sashimi with “charred” strawberries (they didn’t taste charred), parsley oil, lemon and chili. It was a success, but perhaps more like ceviche than sashimi.
While Ivanka wasn’t interested in dessert, I was. I ordered the lemon cake, accompanied by cream flavored with kaffir lime, and lemon marmalade. Ivanka thought it was weird, but I enjoyed its intensely citrusy flavors.
As I mentioned above, this rather light meal was perfect for a hot night. In more clement weather, one or two more dishes might be required to satisfy bigger appetites than we had that evening. I recommend reserving, in light of the crowd we saw there.
I wish that Jolia was closer to where I live. It’s the kind of place you really want nearby when there is nothing to eat at home and you want something really delicious spiced up with the flavors of distant lands.
See our Favorite Restaurants by Arrondissement page to find a good restaurant in the neighborhood where you want to eat.
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