The ride north on Monroe’s Route 25 is not the most scenic of thoroughfares; however, once you find your way to the new strip mall near the Newtown line, where Jules Restaurant has opened its door, you’ll be transported to another world. Immediately upon entering, the warm hues of a Mediterranean sunrise and the instrumental music of the region, signal a prelude to a unique dining experience.
Just as many ideas are born from casual conversation, so too was this restaurant. Owners, Monroe entrepreneur Nebil Hribal and his wife Juliet, were lounging on the Jersey shore when Nebil brought up an idea for a new venture. He had harbored a dream of opening a restaurant for many years, and because this area had no authentic Mediterranean restaurants, he was certain the community would enjoy the cuisine. It took more than a year to plan and select the ‘perfect’ location; and with his family’s centuries-old recipes in hand, Jule’s welcomed its first guests this past August.
Nabil is the restaurant’s chef, assisted by Aunt Suat. Both grew up cooking for family and friends in the Mediterranean and bring a lifetime of culinary experience. Juliet greets the restaurant’s patrons, just as she did when my party arrived. We were seated in the warm, intimate, modern dining room – my senses immediately enveloped by tempting aromas and sounds of the Mediterranean region.
Perusing the menu, I was impressed to see entrees for vegetarians as well as meat eaters. Of course, the Mediterranean region is known for its diet of olives, garlic, fruits, vegetables and whole grains – a vegetarian’s Utopia.
Juliet was very patient and most gracious to explain the different menu specialties, and quite willing to offer suggestions. We chose an assortment of vegetarian and non appetizers that were served both hot and cold, with warm slices of freshly-made pita bread. Being with two friends, we ordered six appetizers to share. (Please keep in mind this was the first course.) Serving dishes were arranged on the table and the bold colors of the food was striking. Each of us tasted a different appetizer, and exclamations of joy were hard to stifle. Upon tasting one, we immediately tried another. One seemed to be better than the last.
You could actually taste the chickpeas in the freshly-made hummus, a smooth dip that also blended sesame tahini pasta, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. I spread it on pita bread and it was incredible. The Yaprak Dolma (stuffed grape leaves) had a vegetarian stuffing of cracked wheat bulghur, onion, red pepper, parsley, garlic, mint and lemon juice. The flavors blended perfectly to create a unique taste. Eggplant Salad is a combination of char-grilled eggplant and fresh diced tomatoes, onions and lemon juice. It had a very enticing flavor.
My personal favorites were Tabbouleh and the Sigara Boregi. A mixture of bulghur, scallion, red pepper and herbs blended with pomegranate syrup and olive oil, the flavors (not to mention the beautiful colors) of Tabbouleh made my taste buds euphoric. I spread it on a small triangle of pita bread and I had to force myself to share this dish with my friends.
Sigara Boregi is served hot and is phyllo dough stuffed with a wonderful feta cheese and parsley. I dipped this remarkable appetizer in Lebne, a thick cream yogurt garnished with dill. This yogurt is not something I would have normally tried; but I am so glad I listened to Juliete, who had recommended that I must. The flavors were subtle, yet a perfect compliment to this warm delight. Again, I wish I didn’t have to share.
But this was just the beginning of my Mediterranean adventure. When my entree arrived, Chicken Kebab, the aromas immediately captivated my senses. To complement this entree, I also ordered a large dish of Mediterranean vegetables. This colorful dish of grilled seasonal offerings was marinated in pomegranate syrup, galic and special herbs. The sweet and sour blended to create a flavor unique unto itself. The chicken had been marinated in spices (another secret) that captured the imagination. Put on a skewer, it was char-grilled to perfection. It was simply amazing – moist and full of flavor. The portion was very generous, and someone should have reminded me about desert. But honestly, I don’t know if I could have put down my fork.
There are two desert offering, the traditional Turkish Baklava and Kunefe. I selected the latter, with no regrets. Served hot, it is baked shredded phyllo dough layered with fresh cheese and sweetened with homemade syrup.(You guessed it, another old family recipe). Again, the flavors blended perfectly, and a cup of a wonderful Turkish tea to compliment it created a most pleasurable ending to a perfect meal.
Jewl is fast becoming a culinary destination, and it’s not difficult to understand why. I will definitely keep it on the list of places to revist.
Jewl Restaurant, 696 Main Street, Monroe. (203)445-0100. Open Sunday -Wednesday, 11am-10pm and Thursday – Saturday, 11am – 11pm. Reservations recommended on weedends.
Bell Rating
4 Bells
