I’ve made it tradition to stop by Go Mashawi most day’s after class to get a sandwich. They specialized in Armenian-style spiced, smoked, and cured meats. The Sujuk (sausages) are spiced with garlic, cumin, pepper, and fenugreek- a clover-like spice that is grown around the Mediterranean. They’re stuffed, and then air-dry in this glass case until they’re cooked to order. They’re typically served in a sandwich (the way I like it), or a platter with sides like Hummus and Tabbouleh, which is a type of parsley salad.
Another tasty option at Go Mashawi is their Basterma, which is a highly-seasoned and air-dried flank of beef. The taste is similar to that of Sujuk, but the appearance and texture is similar to that of prosciutto.
This is one of the weirder foods that I’ve tried since arriving to Amman. I was able to sample this regional delicacy at Rakwet. A Lebanese restaurant in Amman’s Webdeh neighborhood. These were battered, fried, and best served with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The taste and texture was similar to that of fried fish! If you’re a curious eater like me, they’re probably worth a try. But I wouldn’t recommend these for casual dining.
Bab Al Yemen Saeed
The Yemeni food at Bab Al Yemen Saeed is far and away the best eating experience that I’ve had in Jordan. Yemeni food is distinct from other Middle Eastern cuisine because of it’s differing cultural influences. For instance, the stews and meat-rice dishes that I tried at Bab Al Yemen had a similar spicy/curry flavor to some Indian food. One of the tastiest dishes from Bab Al Yemen was the Ogda, a vegetable and meat stew that is served in boiling hot in a stone bowl. Over the course of the meal, the water in the dish evaporates away, turning the soupy stew in a thick and spicy slurry that can be scooped up with Malawah Bread. Malawah is a massive, multi layered, buttered Arabic bread that is seasoned with Arabic bread or sometimes other various spices.
Most delicious of all from Bab Al Yemen is their Yemeni milk tea. It’s a spiced tea, similar to chai masala and is best consumed with more sugar than your doctor would recommend.