Jovan’s Place: Yugoslavian Food in East Kensington

 

 Yugoslavian Food at Jovan's Place [10:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Yugoslavian food has never been at the top of my list when going out to a restaurant in Philadelphia, but last weekend the opportunity presented itself. During a visit to the Trenton Avenue Arts Festival, Patti and I took a tip from a friend and visited Jovan’s Place in East Kensington to have a Yugoslavian meal.

My friend Dean works at the Yards Brewery and mentioned that Jovan’s Place is their “local.” Could there be a higher recommendation?

After building up an appetite at the festival, complete with the “First Annual Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby” (our favorite), we headed down York Avenue toward Jovan’s. The tavern is located in an up and coming area, but upon arrival it was hard to determine whether it was open or closed. Picking a door, we took a leap of faith and entered a bar and restaurant that most would consider a typical neighborhood “local.” Festooned with the standard bar flotsam and jetsam, the assortment of hunting trophies (2 Deer and a Rabbit – Sorry Bambi & Thumper! ) just added to the classic atmosphere.

We were warmly greeted and seated right away by a lovely older lady, who would be our waitress. While we couldn’t determine her name, we’re pretty sure she is the owner’s wife. With an eastern European accent, our waitress took our drink order and quickly disappeared toward the bar. On her return, she carried seven drinks; Patti’s Budweiser and 6 bottles of Yards beer. I guess our waitress didn’t understand me when I requested a Yards ESA, but in her effort to return with the right type of beer, she just brought one of each kind!

The menu at Jovan’s has a variety of foods from standard bar fare to Yugoslavian dishes. Many items seem to be a cross of the two, but we wanted to get as close to traditional as possible. For an appetizer, we ordered Roasted Red Peppers (both hot and not-hot) and for entrees I selected the traditional Cabbage Rolls while Patti chose the Beef Goulash. We both looked forward to revisiting flavors from our childhood, since we both have a dose of Yugoslavian heritage.

Our waitress quickly reappeared with our appetizer, fresh bread and a pesto sauce. The pesto was unique; it was very clear and did not seem to contain cheese. As we dug in, we found the combination delicious. Thankfully, we paced ourselves because our entrees arrived soon afterwards.

For sheer spectacle, Patti’s Beef Goulash won the prize. It was humongous and our waitress chuckled at our reaction to this impressive sight. My Cabbage Rolls, while not as visually overwhelming, were still attractively presented. In addition, I was served a variety of vegetables that included the delicious Spinach Mashed Potatoes that were recently mentioned in The City Paper. Thankfully, as we enjoyed our meal, we found that quantity does not override quality at Jovan’s Place; each entrée was flavorful and very enjoyable.

Concluding our meal, our waitress approached us with a simple question. In her accented English, she asked if we would like to try the “special shot” that she makes for after dinner. We had to say “Sure!” The lady soon returned with our aperitifs, explaining how she produces her labor of love. The flavor was that of an intensely sweet pear liqueur; we loved it. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t want more than one, but how often do you get to try a cocktail hand-made by a little old Yugoslavian lady . The coup de gras was the hand written check on a piece of plain white paper – a classic!

In summary, Jovan’s Place is a great hidden treasure. If you’re looking for “haute cuisine,” you won’t find it here. The menu features hearty, workingman’s food including typical bar food, eastern European-inspired selections and a few traditional Yugoslavian favorites. We spent about $50, so it’s not cheap, but I’d say the entire experience was well worth the price of admission. We’ll definitely go back.

Jovan’s Place is located at 2327 E. York St. Philadelphia, PA 19125 
(215) 634-3330.

[Tags]Philadelphia, Philly, East Kensington, Yugoslavian Food, Jovan’s Place, Podcast, Yards Brewery[/Tags]