The Two Minute Review: Jehan's Heaven
- Ronan Doyle
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
What’s the story with Jehan’s Heaven?
Caucasian cuisine? Reddit threads and puzzled head tilts every time we've passed Jehan’s Heaven make it necessary to clarify that: no, it does not mean white people food; and yes, it is properly seasoned. This new arrival from the people behind Ella’s Heaven across the road brings a deeper dive into the cuisine of the Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan and the owner's native Georgia.
What should we have?
We’ve long loved the khachapuri in Ella’s Heaven, one of the most satisfying lunches in town, and they’ve upped the game here with twelve varieties, most available in two sizes. We went classic with a “small” Adjaruli style (€12), the hot, fluffy boat-shaped bread a dream to dip in the molten mess of salty Imeruli cheese and rich raw egg yolk. The pitch of “Georgian pizza” doesn’t do justice to this cheesy, carb-fest.
We're long time fans of a cabbage roll, and ever curious to see how it differs across Europe and Asia. Jehan's dolma (€15) aren’t about to dethrone Romanian sarmale from our top spot, with a filling of minced beef and rice a touch dry – yogurt and a thin tomato sauce go a way to help. The price of beef is bananas right now, but that price point for two pieces felt striking.
Especially when compared to the bountiful bang-for-your-buck beef in the chanakhi (€16.90), a clay pot stew studded with aubergine and green pepper. Delicious, silky, slow-cooked flavour soaked through every last tender chunk of meat, and the generous bread on the side only added to the sense of relative value versus the cabbage, as it mopped up every morsel baked onto the base.
Caucasian cuisine a Turkish grill ain’t, but between the billowing charcoal centrepiece by the door, and curiosity about what an Azerbaijani lule kebab is, their signature sharing platter (€65.90) had to be tried. Cumin and paprika distinguish the lule's lamb from the chilli flake-flecked adana (also included), but not enough to stop the two feeling samey – chops or fillet would have gone a long way. The same problem holds for the chicken, with wings and breast ending up as overkill, despite the black char sealing in some seriously good juice.
So-so side salad and sauces seal the deal on landing this platter in the "skip-it" space. Great grills are plentiful in Dublin these days, and Jehan’s has neither the goods nor value to stack up against established hits like Reyna or new challengers like Sofra. Only above-average chips and a delicious Georgian pear lemonade (included) stood out.
We've tried the baklava, kadayif and Turkish delight (different to what you might know as Turkish delight) before and it's another area they excel in, so get some to enjoy with a coffee afterwards, or take some home to be the most popular person in your house.
Why should we go?
Not least for the fact that its impressive fitout has replaced one of those tourist trap Paddywagon places, Jehan’s Heaven is a good addition to the North inner city, with loads of space to enjoy flavours from a truly tasty part of the world. Just skip the grill and stick to the Caucasian food.
Jehan’s Heaven
10 Talbot Street, Dublin 1
